bladder

noun

blad·​der ˈbla-dər How to pronounce bladder (audio)
1
a
: a membranous sac in animals that serves as the receptacle of a liquid or contains gas
especially : urinary bladder
b
: a gas- or air-filled vesicle in certain algae and aquatic plants (such as rockweed) : air bladder sense b
2
: something (such as the rubber bag inside a football) resembling a bladder
bladderlike adjective

Examples of bladder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Urinary osmolality measures how much chloride, potassium, sodium, and urea are in your urine. Urodynamics: This is a set of tests examining how well your bladder and urethra work. Sarah Bradley, Health, 17 Nov. 2023 Urine adheres to the bladder wall rather than collecting at the base, where the growing pressure of liquid above the urethra usually alerts us when the organ is two-thirds full. Kim Tingley, New York Times, 12 Nov. 2023 Scorsese is known for films with running times that can test bladders, and Killers of the Flower Moon is no exception. Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Oct. 2023 While features like trekking pole loops, a 2-liter hydration bladder, and an adjustable hip belt cater to more technical treks. Kevin Brouillard, Travel + Leisure, 20 Sep. 2023 The Daytime Emmy-winning star of The Young and the Restless, who shared with his fans in an emotional Facebook Live session in April that he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer, paid a visit to The Talk Friday and shared a wise suggestion to its viewers. Rosemary Rossi, Peoplemag, 10 Nov. 2023 California natives like lavender blooming chaparral mallow (Malacothamnus fasciculatus), yellow flowered bladder pod (Peritoma arborea), garden-sized scrub oak (Quercus berberidifolia), jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) and many more. Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Nov. 2023 The bladders are also far cheaper to build than a design made from lightweight composites like carbon fiber. Evan Williams, Ars Technica, 31 Oct. 2023 Navigating the airport with a cat Ahead of travel, don’t withhold food or water in an attempt to stave off unwelcome bowel or bladder movements on the plane. Anna Borges, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bladder.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English blǣdre; akin to Old High German blātara bladder, Old English blāwan to blow

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of bladder was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near bladder

Cite this Entry

“Bladder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bladder. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

bladder

noun
blad·​der ˈblad-ər How to pronounce bladder (audio)
1
: a pouch in an animal in which a liquid or gas is stored
especially : one into which urine passes from the kidneys and is stored temporarily until discharged by way of the urethra
2
: something resembling a bladder
especially : a bag or container that can be blown up with air
bladderlike adjective

Medical Definition

bladder

noun
blad·​der ˈblad-ər How to pronounce bladder (audio)
1
: a membranous sac in animals that serves as the receptacle of a liquid or contains gas
especially : urinary bladder
2
: a vesicle or pouch forming part of an animal body
the bladder of a tapeworm larva

More from Merriam-Webster on bladder

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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