pancreas

American  

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

noun

Anatomy, Zoology.

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

• pancreatic adjective

Etymology

Origin of pancreas

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

Example Sentences

He had his pancreas removed a few years after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at the age of just 33 in 1994 and then had a stroke in 2016.

From BBC

He had a procedure which resulted in the removal of part of his pancreas, the duodenum, the gall bladder and part of his liver.

From BBC

In this disease, the body's own immune defenses mistakenly attack and destroy the insulin-producing islet cells in the pancreas.

From Science Daily

So far, they have shown that ultrasounds can be used on the pancreas -- and that this technique can improve the results of conventional treatments.

From Barron's

The study, published in the journal Science Advances, shows it is down to the development of the beta cells living in the pancreas.

From BBC