duodenum

American  

[doo-uh-dee-nuhm, dyoo-, doo-od-n-uhm, dyoo-] / ˌdu əˈdi nəm, ˌdju-, duˈɒd n əm, dju- /

noun

Anatomy, Zoology.

• duodena,
  plural
• duodenums
  plural

1. the first portion of the small intestine, from the stomach to the jejunum.

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duodenum British  

/ ˌdjuːəʊˈdiːnəm /

noun

1. the first part of the small intestine, between the stomach and the jejunum

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duodenum Scientific  

/ do̅o̅′ə-dē′nəm,do̅o̅-ŏd′n-əm /

• duodena
  plural

1. The beginning part of the small intestine, starting at the lower end of the stomach and extending to the jejunum.

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duodenum Cultural  

1. The first part of the small intestine, located just below the stomach. (See digestive system.)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• duodenal
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• duodena
  plural
• duodenums
  plural

Etymology

Origin of duodenum

1350–1400; Middle English < Medieval Latin, by ellipsis from intestīnum duodēnum digitōrum intestine of twelve fingerbreadths, with original genitive plural construed as neuter singular; Latin duodēnī twelve each (here lacking distributive sense)

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

duodenum duodena duodenums

Duodenal mucosal resurfacing is an investigational endoscopic treatment that uses controlled heat to remove damaged tissue from the inner lining of the duodenum, the first section of the small intestine just below the stomach.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 23, 2026

But in 2022, Alberto became unwell and tests showed he had a rare cancerous tumour growing on his duodenum, which is at the top of the small intestine.

From BBC ● May 24, 2024

In 1994 he performed the world’s first six-organ transplant, replacing a patient’s stomach, small intestine, duodenum, pancreas, liver and kidney in a single operation.

From New York Times ● Jan. 15, 2024

Calne also helped carry out the world’s first triple liver, lung and heart transplant in 1986 and in 1994 led a six-organ transplant of liver, kidney, stomach, duodenum, small intestine and pancreas.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 7, 2024

Into the ventral mesentery the liver grows as diverticula from the duodenum, so that some of the mesentery remains as the falciform ligament of the liver and some as the lesser omentum.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 6 "Cockaigne" to "Columbus, Christopher" by Various

He who went received five lire a month from the State, and one lira from each of his colleagues in the duodena.

From The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1 by Henry Yule

It causes ulcers by digesting the lining of nervous stomachs and duodenums * as well as food.

From Time Magazine Archive

Related Words

• belly
• innards