bladder

American  

[blad-er] / ˈblæd ər /

noun

1. Anatomy, Zoology.

   1. a membranous sac or organ serving as a receptacle for a fluid or air.

   2. urinary bladder.

2. Pathology. a vesicle, blister, cyst, etc., filled with fluid or air.

3. Botany. an air-filled sac or float, as in certain seaweeds.

4. something resembling a bladder, as the inflatable lining of a football or basketball.

5. an air-filled sac, usually made to resemble a club, used for beatings in low comedy, vaudeville, or the like.

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bladder British  

/ ˈblædə /

noun

1. anatomy a distensible membranous sac, usually containing liquid or gas, esp the urinary bladder

2. an inflatable part of something

3. a blister, cyst, vesicle, etc, usually filled with fluid

4. a hollow vesicular or saclike part or organ in certain plants, such as the bladderwort or bladderwrack

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bladder Scientific  

/ blăd′ər /

1. A sac-shaped muscular organ that stores the urine secreted by the kidneys, found in all vertebrates except birds and the monotremes. In mammals, urine is carried from the kidneys to the bladder by the ureters and is later discharged from the body through the urethra.

2. An air bladder.

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bladder Cultural  

1. A stretchable saclike structure in the body that holds fluids. The term is used most often to refer to the urinary bladder, which is part of the excretory system. Another kind of bladder is the gallbladder.

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Other Word Forms

• bladderless
  adjective
• bladderlike
  adjective
• bladdery
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of bladder

before 900; Middle English; Old English blǣddre, blǣdre bladder, blister, pimple; cognate with Old Norse blāthra, dialectal Dutch bladder, German Blatter; akin to blow ²

Example Sentences

Natera has submitted a Food and Drug Administration application for Signatera in bladder cancer, backed by a late-stage trial showing improved survival for patients who tested positive.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

Padcev, an antibody-drug conjugate for patients with bladder and urinary tract cancer, and Ibrance, a treatment for metastatic breast cancer, are two standouts within the portfolio.

From Barron's • May 5, 2026

In a twist on that narrative, Dorio said he was once asked by a hospice operator to examine a patient who had arrived with a diagnosis of bladder cancer.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 25, 2026

The procedure removed the endometriosis from her uterus, womb and bladder but also discovered evidence of the condition on her bowel, which needed the involvement of additional specialist surgeons.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

Thirst and her bladder both urged her to get up, but the prospect of leaving her alcove was grim.

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor