glomerulus
noun
glo·mer·u·lus
glə-ˈmer-(y)ə-ləs 
glō-
plural glomeruli
glə-ˈmer-(y)ə-ˌlī
-ˌlē
-ˌlē
glō-
: a small convoluted or intertwined mass
especially
: a tuft of capillaries at the point of origin of each vertebrate nephron that passes a protein-free filtrate to the surrounding Bowman's capsule
Examples of glomerulus in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
According to the National Kidney Foundation, glomerular diseases damage the glomeruli—the tiny filters in the kidneys—and impair kidney function.
—
Kevin Sabet, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025
Directly measuring how well these glomeruli are functioning is possible but cumbersome, so instead doctors rely on blood levels of a protein called creatinine, a waste product produced by muscles and a by-product of protein metabolism, to estimate the glomerular filtration rate (GFR).
—Cassandra Willyard, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2024
Damaged glomeruli are unable to filter waste and fluids from the blood, which can eventually lead to kidney problems and failure.
—Suchandrima Bhowmik, Health, 30 Sep. 2024
Amyloidosis is a group of diseases that produce abnormal proteins called amyloid fibrils that can block and damage glomeruli.
—Kashif J. Piracha, Verywell Health, 12 July 2024
The glomerulus does the filtering, while the tubule sends blood and other crucial material back into the bloodstream.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 16 Feb. 2024
Blood flows into a cluster of tiny blood vessels called the glomerulus, which removes waste and excess water from the blood.
—Christine Yu, SELF, 4 Oct. 2023
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Kevin Sabet, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025
Directly measuring how well these glomeruli are functioning is possible but cumbersome, so instead doctors rely on blood levels of a protein called creatinine, a waste product produced by muscles and a by-product of protein metabolism, to estimate the glomerular filtration rate (GFR).
—Cassandra Willyard, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2024
Damaged glomeruli are unable to filter waste and fluids from the blood, which can eventually lead to kidney problems and failure.
—Suchandrima Bhowmik, Health, 30 Sep. 2024
Amyloidosis is a group of diseases that produce abnormal proteins called amyloid fibrils that can block and damage glomeruli.
—Kashif J. Piracha, Verywell Health, 12 July 2024
The glomerulus does the filtering, while the tubule sends blood and other crucial material back into the bloodstream.
—Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 16 Feb. 2024
Blood flows into a cluster of tiny blood vessels called the glomerulus, which removes waste and excess water from the blood.
—Christine Yu, SELF, 4 Oct. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Glomerulus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glomerulus. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
glomerulus
noun
glo·mer·u·lus
glə-ˈmer-(y)ə-ləs, glō-
: a small convoluted or intertwined mass (as of organisms, nerve fibers, or capillaries): as
a
: a tuft of capillaries that is covered by epithelium, is situated at the point of origin of each vertebrate nephron, and normally passes a protein-free filtrate from the blood to the surrounding Bowman's capsule see renal corpuscle
b
: the convoluted secretory part of a sweat gland
c
: a dense entanglement of nerve fibers situated in the olfactory bulb and containing the primary synapses of the olfactory pathway
called also olfactory glomerulus
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