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mesentery

American  
[mes-uhn-ter-ee, mez-] / ˈmɛs ənˌtɛr i, ˈmɛz- /

noun

Anatomy.
  • mesenteries
    plural
  1. an organ that, as a double fold of peritoneum, loops around the pancreas and the intestines, holding them securely to the abdominal wall.


mesentery British  
/ ˈmɛsəntərɪ, ˈmɛz- /

noun

  1. the double layer of peritoneum that is attached to the back wall of the abdominal cavity and supports most of the small intestine

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Etymology

Origin of mesentery

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English , from New Latin mesenterium, from Greek mesentérion (equivalent to mes- mes- + énteron enteron + Greek -ion noun suffix); see -ium ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Each mesentery consists of one ectodermal and one endodermal cell layer with the mesoglea sandwiched in between.

From Textbooks Jan. 1, 2015

The jejunum and ileum are tethered to the posterior abdominal wall by the mesentery.

From Textbooks Jun. 19, 2013

The mesoappendix, the mesentery of the appendix, tethers it to the mesentery of the ileum.

From Textbooks Jun. 19, 2013

A median mesentery running dorso-ventrally supports the alimentary canal and is continued behind it into the tail, thus dividing the body cavity into two lateral halves.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 7 "Cerargyrite" to "Charing Cross" by Various

Lower down, the small intestines were in places lined with a dark red and brown, and the mesentery highly injected in the portions corresponding to these spots.

From North American Medical and Surgical Journal, Vol. 2, No. 3, July, 1826 by Franklin Bache

This cavity is divided into several chambers by longitudinal septa called mesenteries.

From Textbooks Jan. 1, 2015

The adaptive benefit of the mesenteries appears to be an increase in surface area for absorption of nutrients and gas exchange.

From Textbooks Jan. 1, 2015

A fourth, the peritoneum, is the serous membrane in the abdominal cavity that covers abdominal organs and forms double sheets of mesenteries that suspend many of the digestive organs.

From Textbooks Jun. 19, 2013

Relatively large amounts are deposited in the liver, kidneys, and the fat of the large, protective mesenteries that enfold the intestines.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

A certain number of mesenteries, known as complete mesenteries, are attached by the upper parts of their internal margins to the stomodaeum, but below this level their edges hang in the coelenteron.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 2 "Anjar" to "Apollo" by Various

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