gallbladder

noun

gall·​blad·​der ˈgȯl-ˌbla-dər 

plural gallbladders

: a membranous muscular sac in which bile from the liver is concentrated and stored before being passed to the intestinal duodenum

After a meal, the gallbladder contracts and injects several tablespoons of bile into the small intestines, where the detergent-like bile salts break up fats.

—David Schardt

For reasons not yet entirely clear, many people, women more often than men, are predisposed to forming stones in their gallbladder.

—Sherwin B. Nuland

Examples of gallbladder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The study showed that the risk of several cancers—including hepatocellular carcinoma, gallbladder cancer, and pancreatic cancer—decreased by more than 50% in patients with diabetes taking a GLP-1 when compared to those on insulin. —Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 18 July 2024

By that June, Daily Harvest had voluntarily recalled the crumbles after receiving 470 complaints of gastrointestinal, liver, bile duct and gallbladder illness. —Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 3 Oct. 2024

People at potential risk include patients with kidney or gallbladder problems, as well as those taking blood-thinning drugs or medications that can be blocked by pomegranate or grapefruit juice. —Tribune Content Agency, The Mercury News, 1 Oct. 2024

Seized with gallbladder pain, Gobara spent days sorting out what had happened to her postpartum Medicaid coverage. —Sarah Varney, NPR, 13 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

gall entry 1 + bladder

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

gallbladder

noun

gall·​blad·​der ˈgȯl-ˌblad-ər 

: a muscular sac in which bile from the liver is stored

Medical Definition

gallbladder

noun

gall·​blad·​der ˈgȯl-ˌblad-ər 

: a membranous muscular sac in which bile from the liver is concentrated and stored before being passed to the duodenum

Gallstones are made of cholesterol, a normal component of the bile stored in the gallbladder.

—D. Shiga, Science News

Removal of the gallbladder—a pear-shaped sac in the right side of your abdomen—has little adverse effect on digestion. After surgery, bile flows directly from your liver to your small intestine rather than being stored first in your gallbladder.

—Mayo Clinic Health Letter