SPLEEN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does spleen mean? 

• SPLEEN (noun)
  The noun SPLEEN has 2 senses:

1. a large dark-red oval organ on the left side of the body between the stomach and the diaphragm; produces cells involved in immune responses

2. a feeling of resentful anger

  Familiarity information: SPLEEN used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SPLEEN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A large dark-red oval organ on the left side of the body between the stomach and the diaphragm; produces cells involved in immune responses

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Synonyms:

lien; spleen

Hypernyms ("spleen" is a kind of...):

lymphatic tissue; lymphoid tissue (tissue making up the lymphatic system)

Meronyms (parts of "spleen"):

arteria lienalis; lienal artery; splenic artery (an artery that originates from the celiac trunk and supplies blood to the spleen)

splenic vein; vena lienalis (a vein formed by several small veins on the surface of the spleen; joins the superior mesenteric to form the portal vein)

Holonyms ("spleen" is a part of...):

lymphatic system; systema lymphaticum (the interconnected system of spaces and vessels between body tissues and organs by which lymph circulates throughout the body)

Derivation:

splenetic; splenic (of or relating to the spleen)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A feeling of resentful anger

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Synonyms:

irascibility; quick temper; short temper; spleen

Hypernyms ("spleen" is a kind of...):

bad temper; ill temper (a persisting angry mood)

Derivation:

splenetic (very irritable)

 Context examples 

A malignant B-cell lymphoproliferative process affecting the blood, bone marrow, and spleen.

(B-Cell Prolymphocytic Leukemia, NCI Thesaurus/WHO)

A type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that first appears on the skin and can spread to the lymph nodes or other organs such as the spleen, liver, or lungs.

(Mycosis fungoides, NCI Dictionary)

Strong expression of the receptor for chemokines XCL1 (SCYC1) and XCL2 (SCYC2) occurs in placenta, spleen, and thymus.

(Chemokine (C Motif) Receptor 1, NCI Thesaurus)

It may affect the nerves, skin, tongue, joints, heart, liver, spleen, kidneys and adrenal glands.

(Amyloidosis, NCI Thesaurus)

It is the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and is marked by rapidly growing tumors in the lymph nodes, spleen, liver, bone marrow, or other organs.

(diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, NCI Dictionary)

Lymphoproliferative disease of spleen and nodes, no apoptosis, medium sized lymphocytes

(Fas and Fas Ligand Diseases of the Mouse Hematologic System, NCI Thesaurus/MMHCC)

Expressed in testis, thymus, small intestine, prostate, spleen, peripheral blood lymphocytes, and ovary and encoded by human DLEU1 Gene, DLEU1 Protein is a 72-amino acid putative tumor suppressor protein for BCLL.

(DLEU1 Protein, NCI Thesaurus)

Consideration of involvement of the liver, spleen, and bone marrow are also considered in this system.

(Ann Arbor Lymphoma Staging System, NCI Thesaurus)

In the early development of a fetus, erythropoiesis takes place in the yolk sac, spleen, and liver.

(Erythropoiesis, NCI Dictionary)

Removal of the spleen in the mice, however, didn’t have an effect, indicating that the vagus nerve influenced inflammation through a novel route that didn’t involve the spleen.

(Electroacupuncture Reduces Sepsis in Mice, NIH)