spleen

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noun \ ˈsplēn \

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

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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

Zeng and his team looked for Ebola in the monkeys’ eye, testicle, brain, liver, spleen, and lymph node tissue samples.

— beth mole, Ars Technica, "“Post-Ebola syndrome” is something else to keep you up at night," 19 July 2017
Surgeons make a keyhole incision in the patient's bellybutton, then remove one by one organs such as the spleen and the gallbladder that share blood flow with the pancreas.

— carrie wells, baltimoresun.com, "Hopkins surgeons develop minimally invasive surgery for chronic pancreatitis," 16 July 2017
Several of them suffered multiple injuries ranging from a lacerated spleen to a broken leg.

— dave altimari, courant.com, "State Police Conclude Propane Leak Caused Vernon House Explosion," 13 July 2017
A bull slammed him against a wall, broke all his ribs on both sides, punctured both his lungs, and ruptured his spleen and liver.

— audrey dutton, idahostatesman, "Two men died unthinkable deaths in manure ponds. Are we doing enough to protect farmworkers?," 11 July 2017
Hunters also have been told not to eat deer organs that prions infect, including the brain, spinal cord, eyes, spleen and lymph nodes.

— mark johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "In tracking a lethal family of diseases that threatens humans and animals, scientists have become the hunters," 6 July 2017
The prions also sweep through lymph nodes and the spleen.

— carl zimmer, The Seattle Times, "Setting fire to spare deer from death," 30 June 2017
He was born with nine congenital heart defects, two left lungs, and five spleens.

— lindsey lanquist, SELF, "A Mom Shared Her Health Care Bill to Show How Vital Health Insurance Is," 30 June 2017
Ablation of 2 spots on liver, removed spleen and gallbladder.

— jim ayello, Indianapolis Star, "Good news in John Andretti's cancer fight," 29 June 2017

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

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spleen Synonyms

Synonyms

angriness, birse [chiefly Scottish], choler, furor, fury, indignation, irateness, ire, lividity, lividness, mad, madness, mood [archaic], outrage, rage, anger, wrath, wrathfulness

Antonyms

delight, pleasure

Near Antonyms

calmness, forbearance, patience

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

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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

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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

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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