Pancreas definition

păngkrē-əs, păn-
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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A large, elongated gland situated behind the stomach and secreting a digestive juice (pancreatic juice) into the small intestine: groups of differentiated cells (islets of Langerhans) in the gland produce the hormone insulin: the pancreas of animals, used as food, is usually called sweetbread.
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The pancreas is a long gland located behind the stomach that secretes digestive juices into the small intestine.

An example of a pancreas is the organ that produces insulin to regulate glucose in the body.

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A long, irregularly shaped gland in vertebrates, lying behind the stomach, that secretes pancreatic juice into the duodenum and insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin into the bloodstream.
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(anatomy) A gland near the stomach which secretes a fluid into the duodenum to help with food digestion. The fluid contains protease, carbohydrase and lipase, which breaks down larger molecules into smaller pieces. The pancreas also produces the hormones insulin and glucagon which regulate blood sugar. These hormones are released into the cardiovascular system.
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A long, irregularly shaped gland in vertebrates, lying behind the stomach, that secretes pancreatic juice into the duodenum and insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin into the bloodstream.
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Other Word Forms

Noun

Singular:
pancreas
Plural:
pancreases, pancreata

Origin of pancreas

  • Greek pankreas pan- pan- kreas flesh kreuə- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Existing in English since the sixteenth century: from Latin pancreas, from Ancient Greek πάγκρεας (pankreas), from πᾶν (pan, “all") (equivalent to English pan-) + κρέας (kreas, “flesh").

    From Wiktionary

Pancreas Sentence Examples

  • The part of the pancreas in digestion also is better understood.

  • This passes to the pancreas and causes increased secretion from that gland.

  • A third enzyme, the trypsin of the pancreas, possesses the power of both pepsin and erepsin.

  • The pancreas has two lobes or branches, a long one passing to the left and reaching the spleen, and a shorter right lobe.

  • Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, is needed to convert glucose into the energy the body requires.

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Words near pancreas in the Dictionary