pancreas

American  

[pan-kree-uhs, pang-] / ˈpæn kri əs, ˈpæŋ- /

noun

Anatomy, Zoology.

• pancreases,
  plural
• pancreata
  plural

1. a gland, situated near the stomach, that secretes a digestive fluid into the intestine through one or more ducts and also secretes the hormone insulin.

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pancreas British  

/ ˈpæŋkrɪəs, ˌpæŋkrɪˈætɪk /

noun

1. a large elongated glandular organ, situated behind the stomach, that secretes insulin and pancreatic juice

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pancreas Scientific  

/ păng′krē-əs /

1. A long, irregularly shaped gland in vertebrate animals that is located behind the stomach and is part of the digestive system. It secretes hormones (insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin) into the bloodstream and digestive enzymes into the small intestine or gut. The pancreas also secretes sodium bicarbonate, which protects the lining of the intestine by neutralizing acids from the stomach.

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pancreas Cultural  

1. A gland behind the stomach that functions in both the endocrine system and the digestive system. Its endocrine function involves the secretion into the bloodstream of insulin, which regulates the level of sugars in the blood. As part of the digestive system, the pancreas secretes into the small intestine a fluid containing enzymes that is used in the digestion of all foods.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• pancreatic
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• pancreases
  plural
• pancreata
  plural

Etymology

Origin of pancreas

First recorded in 1570–80; from New Latin, from Greek pánkreas “sweetbread”; pan- + kréas “flesh, meat”

Explanation

The pancreas is part of the digestive system. It helps the stomach digest food. It’s a large, long gland that secretes insulin and digestive enzymes. Although the stomach gets the most of the credit for digesting food, it has a helper — the pancreas. The pancreas hides behind your stomach and helps digest and absorb nutrients, and it also helps you maintain a healthy blood sugar level by secreting insulin. This dual function makes the pancreas part endocrine (for the insulin) and part exocrine (for the digestive juices). These two functions make the pancreas important, but you can actually live without it.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pancreas pancreases pancreata

Mumps can cause deafness and inflame the brain, pancreas, testicles, ovaries and breast tissue.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026

Type 1 diabetes is caused when the body's own immune system starts attacking the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.

From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026

“In 15 years, this is probably the first real big change or anticipated change in pancreas cancer.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 21, 2026

If you were comparing it to human biology, it performs roles similar to the liver, pancreas, and immune system.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 20, 2026

“Sweetbread is made from the pancreas of a calf.”

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

Erewhon says the mix of uncooked beef livers, hearts, pancreases, kidneys and spleens swirling through the coconut cream in the beverage should not be considered “raw.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2024

The statute covers eyes, corneas, kidneys, livers, hearts, lungs, pancreases, bones and skin.

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2023

He and his team were studying key hormones, including glucagon, in pancreases from anglerfish, which they pulled from Boston harbor.

From Science Magazine ● Sep. 8, 2023

Data compiled by a government contractor and provided to The Washington Post show the number of pancreases collected from 2013 to 2020 remained steady at just over 500 annually.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 20, 2023

Sweetbreads are made in Chicago of the pancreases of horned cattle.

From A Book of Burlesques by H. L. (Henry Louis) Mencken

“Based on communications we have received, we are concerned that many of these pancreata may not have been recovered for legitimate research purposes,” the letter reads.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 20, 2023