Definition of pancreas
: a large lobulated gland of vertebrates that secretes digestive enzymes and the hormones insulin and glucagon
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Recent Examples of pancreas from the Web
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Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease, occurs when the body's immune system cells mistakenly attack the insulin-producing (beta) cells in the pancreas.
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Too much drinking can have long-term affects on the liver, pancreas, heart and other organs.
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Among conditions in which this has occurred are thyroid disease, heart attack, cancers of the lung and pancreas, and the adrenal disorder Cushing’s disease.
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Among conditions in which this has occurred are thyroid disease, heart attack, cancers of the lung and pancreas, and the adrenal disorder Cushing’s disease.
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That stigma worked in Karen Goodwin's favor when transplant doctors at the Clinic first offered Shay's kidney and pancreas to the patient ahead of her on the waiting list who also was a match.
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Goodwin, like the nearly 2,000 other kidney-pancreas transplant patients nationwide waiting for donors at the time, desperately hoped to be saved.
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And the procedure requires donor pancreases, which are scarce.
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The cures under study now would remove the need for a donor pancreas.
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
PANCREAS Defined for English Language Learners
pancreas
playDefinition of pancreas for English Language Learners
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: 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
playDefinition 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
playMedical Definition of pancreas
pancreases
alsopancreata
\pan-ˈkrē-ət-ə\play: 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
Illustration of pancreas
Learn More about pancreas
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Spanish Central: Translation of pancreas Nglish: Translation of pancreas for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of pancreas for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pancreas
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