pancreas

noun pan·cre·as \ ˈpaŋ-krē-əs , ˈpan- \

|Updated on: 15 Jun 2018

Definition of pancreas

: a large lobulated gland of vertebrates that secretes digestive enzymes and the hormones insulin and glucagon

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pancreatic

play \ˌpaŋ-krē-ˈa-tik, ˌpan-\ adjective

See pancreas defined for English-language learners

See pancreas defined for kids

Recent Examples of pancreas from the Web

Unfortunately, that pancreas only lasted six months in the boy.

— wayne drash, CNN, "The medicine keeping her alive was also killing her," 12 June 2018
In addition to the deaths, other complications related to the placement and use of these devices—such as inflammation of the pancreas, and the balloon filling with air or more liquid and getting too large—have also been reported.

— amanda macmillan, Health.com, "12 People Have Died After Trying This Popular Weight-Loss Procedure. Here's What You Should Know," 7 June 2018
About 15 percent of patients are candidates for surgery; generally their disease was detected early and has not spread widely beyond the pancreas.

— lindsey tanner, BostonGlobe.com, "Study finds rare gain for tough-to-treat pancreatic cancer," 4 June 2018
For example, being able to work with nerves in the bladder or the pancreas or vagus nerve could have a lot of interesting therapeutic benefits — almost like acupuncture.

— angela chen, The Verge, "Why it’s so hard to develop the right material for brain implants," 30 May 2018
Howard’s pancreas has shown worrisome signs of stress.

— elizabeth koh and carol marbin miller, miamiherald, "She's starving to death — and public health agencies can't or won't stop it | Miami Herald," 24 May 2018
That has been suggested as a risk factor in the development of oesophageal cancer, colon cancer and some cancers of the pancreas.

— The Economist, "Germ-free children may be more prone to leukaemia," 24 May 2018
Researchers on the West Coast were curious about the donor’s pancreas, but wanted to know the condition and the size of the organ before accepting it.

— shari rudavsky, Indianapolis Star, "'This room becomes sacred.' The heroic and heartbreaking journey of one organ donor's body," 17 May 2018
The brain is an organ — just like your pancreas, liver or heart — added Crosby.

— stepfanie romine, Cincinnati.com, "Mental health providers, including Lindner Center, face increased demand," 25 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pancreas.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of pancreas

New Latin, from Greek pankreas sweetbread, from pan- + kreas flesh, meat — more at raw

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1578

in the meaning defined above

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PANCREAS Defined for English Language Learners

pancreas

noun

Definition of pancreas for English Language Learners

: a large gland of the body that is near the stomach and that produces insulin and other substances that help the body digest food

PANCREAS Defined for Kids

pancreas

noun pan·cre·as \ ˈpaŋ-krē-əs \

Definition of pancreas for Students

: a large gland near the stomach that produces insulin and a fluid ( pancreatic juice ) with enzymes that aid digestion

Medical Dictionary

pancreas

noun pan·cre·as \ ˈpaŋ-krē-əs, ˈpan- \

medical Definition of pancreas

plural pancreases also pancreata play \pan-ˈkrē-ət-ə\

: a large lobulated gland that in humans lies in front of the upper lumbar vertebrae and behind the stomach and is somewhat hammer-shaped and firmly attached anteriorly to the curve of the duodenum with which it communicates through one or more pancreatic ducts and that consists of (1) tubular acini secreting digestive enzymes which pass to the intestine and function in the breakdown of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates; (2) modified acinar cells that form islets of Langerhans between the tubules and secrete the hormones insulin and glucagon; and (3) a firm connective-tissue capsule that extends supportive strands into the organ