Main Entry: thy·mus

Pronunciation: \ˈthī-məs\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural thy·mus·es also thy·mi \-ˌmī\

Etymology: New Latin, from Greek thymos warty excrescence, thymus

Date: 1578

: a glandular structure of largely lymphoid tissue that functions especially in the development of the body's immune system, is present in the young of most vertebrates typically in the upper anterior chest or at the base of the neck, and tends to atrophy in the adult