pancreas

noun

pan·cre·as | \ ˈpaŋ-krē-əs

, ˈpan-\

Definition of pancreas

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

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Pancreatitis is a condition in which those enzymes damage the pancreas and cause inflammation. — Korin Miller, SELF, "What Is Pancreatitis, the Condition that Lead to Comedian Kevin Barnett’s Death?," 25 Jan. 2019 Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction where the body destroys the cells in the pancreas that make insulin, a hormone needed to allow glucose (sugar) to enter your cells to produce energy, the Mayo Clinic explains. — Korin Miller, SELF, "The Diabetes Symptom That Finally Helped Nick Jonas Get a Diagnosis," 19 Nov. 2018 Environmental and genetic factors can lead to the destruction of the beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. — Jaclyn London, Ms, Rd, Cdn, Good Housekeeping, "Everything You Need to Know About a Diabetic Diet," 23 Aug. 2017 The findings suggest that verapamil helps stop the ongoing damage to the pancreas caused by Type 1 diabetes, Shalev said. — NBC News, "Cheap blood pressure drug might slow diabetes," 9 July 2018 Experiments on animals in which certain molecular clock genes were deactivated in the pancreas showed that the animals acted normally, only to later develop diabetes. — Jacqueline Detwiler, Popular Mechanics, "Why You Should Have Heart Surgery in the Afternoon," 26 Dec. 2018 Type 1 diabetes, the type Jonas has, is a chronic condition in which the pancreas makes little or no insulin. — Korin Miller, SELF, "The Diabetes Symptom That Finally Helped Nick Jonas Get a Diagnosis," 19 Nov. 2018 This occurs when the pancreas, a large gland that secretes digestive enzymes, becomes inflamed, often due to an excess of alcohol. — Janis Graham, Redbook, "Queasy? Bloated? Here's How to Cure Your Stomachache, Fast," 28 Nov. 2017 This causes damage and makes the pancreas unable to properly produce insulin. — Jennifer Lavallee, SELF, "5 Things I’m Sick of Hearing as Someone With Type 1 Diabetes," 29 Aug. 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.

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23 Mar 2019

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Time Traveler for pancreas

The first known use of pancreas was in 1578

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More Definitions for pancreas

pancreas

noun

English Language Learners Definition of pancreas

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

See the full definition for pancreas in the English Language Learners Dictionary

pancreas

noun

pan·cre·as | \ ˈpaŋ-krē-əs

Kids Definition of pancreas

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

pancreas

noun

pan·cre·as | \ ˈpaŋ-krē-əs, ˈpan-

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

Medical Definition of pancreas

: 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