spleen

noun \ ˈsplēn \

Updated on: 14 Apr 2018

Definition of spleen

1 : a highly vascular ductless organ that is located in the left abdominal region near the stomach or intestine of most vertebrates and is concerned with final destruction of red blood cells, filtration and storage of blood, and production of lymphocytes

2 obsolete : the seat of emotions or passions

3 archaic : melancholy

4 : feelings of anger or ill will often suppressed

5 obsolete : a sudden impulse or whim : caprice

See spleen defined for English-language learners

See spleen defined for kids

Examples of spleen in a Sentence

vented her spleen and felt much better for having done so
the bill's failure to pass in the legislature was due to nothing more than partisan spleen

Recent Examples of spleen from the Web

Piazza died of severe head, spleen and abdominal injuries from falling down basement stairs the night of a pledge bid acceptance ceremony, according to testimony from a forensic pathologist.

— crimesider staff, CBS News, "Judge again tosses manslaughter charges in Penn State frat pledge death," 28 Mar. 2018
Other parts of the immune system include the thymus, spleen, lymph nodes, lymphocytes, white blood cells, and antibodies.

— Philly.com, "Teens and their tonsils: When do they need to be out?," 1 Mar. 2018
Or a sprinter shattering multiple bones or lacerating his or her spleen during the 100 meters.

— nancy armour, USA TODAY, "With sports like luge, skeleton and snowboarding, death never far at the Winter Olympics," 12 Feb. 2018
After more of 12 hours waiting, José Daniel was admitted because his liver and spleen were inflamed.

— refinery29.com, "Life, Interrupted: The Invisible Scars Hurricane Maria Has Left On The Women Of Puerto Rico," 19 Mar. 2018
The cause was a ruptured spleen and pneumonia, said a son, Chris Garnett.

— Washington Post, "The story must be told.," 3 Mar. 2018
The 9-millimeter slug tore through his pancreas, spleen, diaphragm, and lungs, leaving him severely injured.

— michael smith, Bloomberg.com, "How Defective Guns Became the Only Product That Can’t Be Recalled," 28 Feb. 2018
Their lymph nodes were enlarged, as were their spleens, but the men appeared to be free of disease.

— harrison smith, Washington Post, "Mathilde Krim, scientist turned activist who helped strip AIDS of stigma, dies at 91," 18 Jan. 2018
Even though Jamie has already broken her collarbone and pelvis, and once ruptured her spleen.

— juliet macur, New York Times, "The Daredevils Above, Their Parents Below: Welcome to Big Air Snowboarding," 20 Feb. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of spleen

Middle English splen, from Anglo-French or Latin; Anglo-French espleen, from Latin splen, from Greek splēn; akin to Latin lien spleen, Sanskrit plīhan

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

spleen Synonyms

Phrases

slow burn;

Synonym Discussion of spleen

malice, malevolence, ill will, spite, malignity, spleen, grudge mean the desire to see another experience pain, injury, or distress. malice implies a deep-seated often unexplainable desire to see another suffer.

- felt no malice toward their former enemies

malevolence suggests a bitter persistent hatred that is likely to be expressed in malicious conduct.

- a look of dark malevolence

ill will implies a feeling of antipathy of limited duration.

- ill will provoked by a careless remark

spite implies petty feelings of envy and resentment that are often expressed in small harassments.

- petty insults inspired by spite

malignity implies deep passion and relentlessness.

- a life consumed by motiveless malignity

spleen suggests the wrathful release of latent spite or persistent malice.

- venting his spleen against politicians

grudge implies a harbored feeling of resentment or ill will that seeks satisfaction.

- never one to harbor a grudge

Other Anatomy Terms

bilateral symmetry, carotid, cartilage, dorsal, entrails, prehensile, renal, solar plexus, supine, thoracic, ventral

SPLEEN Defined for English Language Learners

spleen

noun

Definition of spleen for English Language Learners

: an organ located near your stomach that destroys worn-out red blood cells and produces white blood cells
: feelings of anger

SPLEEN Defined for Kids

spleen

noun \ ˈsplēn \

Definition of spleen for Students

: an organ near the stomach that destroys worn-out red blood cells and produces some of the white blood cells

Medical Dictionary

spleen

noun \ ˈsplēn \

medical Definition of spleen

: a highly vascular ductless abdominal organ of vertebrates that resembles a gland in organization but is closely associated with the circulatory system, that plays a role in the final destruction of red blood cells, filtration and storage of blood, and production of lymphocytes, and that in humans is a dark purplish flattened oblong object of a soft fragile consistency lying near the cardiac end of the stomach and consisting largely of blood and lymphoid tissue enclosed in a fibroelastic capsule from which trabeculae ramify through the tissue of the organ which is divisible into a loose friable red pulp in intimate connection with the blood supply and with red blood cells free in its interstices and a denser white pulp chiefly of lymphoid tissue condensed in masses about the small arteries