gallbladder

American  

[gawl-blad-er] / ˈgɔlˌblæd ər /

Or gall bladder

noun

Anatomy.

1. a pear-shaped, muscular sac attached to the undersurface of the right lobe of the liver, in which bile is stored and concentrated.

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gallbladder Scientific  

/ gôl′blăd′ər /

1. A small, pear-shaped muscular sac in most vertebrates in which bile is stored. The gallbladder is located beneath the liver and secretes bile into the duodenum of the small intestine.

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gallbladder Cultural  

1. A small, muscular sac located under the liver. Bile is stored in the gallbladder until it is needed by the small intestine for digestion. (See digestive system.)

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Etymology

Origin of gallbladder

First recorded in 1670–80; gall ¹ + bladder

Example Sentences

Tuft cells are found in several parts of the body, including the airways, gallbladder, and reproductive system, not just the gut.

From Science Daily • Mar. 28, 2026

The study focuses on patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the standard keyhole operation to remove the gallbladder.

From BBC • Nov. 24, 2025

In procedures like laparoscopic gallbladder removal, anaesthesiologists now often supplement this drug regimen with regional "blocks" - ultrasound-guided injections that numb nerves in the abdominal wall.

From BBC • Nov. 24, 2025

In addition to physical therapy, Audrey underwent gallbladder surgery to help her nausea.

From Slate • Sep. 15, 2025

There followed, of course, the usual gallbladder, spleen, and kidney operations.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols