bladder

noun

blad·​der ˈbla-dər 

1

a

: a membranous sac in animals that serves as the receptacle of a liquid or contains gas

especially : urinary bladder

b

: a gas- or air-filled vesicle in certain algae and aquatic plants (such as rockweed) : air bladder sense b

2

: something (such as the rubber bag inside a football) resembling a bladder

bladderlike

ˈbla-dər-līk 

adjective

Examples of bladder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The plant pumps water out of the bladder in order to create negative pressure. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026

The biotech company rallied 13%, adding to a 30% rally in the previous session that was sparked by strong guidance for its bladder cancer drug Anktiva. —Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 16 Jan. 2026

The sub-20-degree temperature will likely make the bladder inside the football harder, for instance, meaning the ball might not travel as far as in typical warmer conditions. —Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 16 Jan. 2026

The mid-tier package brings aboard a complete sink system that uses a portable Dometic Go rechargeable electric faucet and two 10-L water bladders for use with the sink basin. —New Atlas, 10 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English blǣdre; akin to Old High German blātara bladder, Old English blāwan to blow

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing bladder

• bladder kelp
• giant bladder kelp
• urinary bladder

Rhymes for bladder

• adder
• ladder
• madder
• sadder
• gallbladder
• stepladder

Kids Definition

bladder

noun

blad·​der ˈblad-ər 

1

: a pouch in an animal in which a liquid or gas is stored

especially : one into which urine passes from the kidneys and is stored temporarily until discharged by way of the urethra

2

: something resembling a bladder

especially : a bag or container that can be blown up with air

bladderlike

-ˌlīk 

adjective

Medical Definition

bladder

noun

blad·​der ˈblad-ər 

1

: a membranous sac in animals that serves as the receptacle of a liquid or contains gas

especially : urinary bladder

2

: a vesicle or pouch forming part of an animal body

the bladder of a tapeworm larva