gallbladder

noun

gall·​blad·​der ˈgȯl-ˌbla-dər 

plural gallbladders

: a membranous muscular sac in which bile from the liver is concentrated and stored before being passed to the intestinal duodenum

After a meal, the gallbladder contracts and injects several tablespoons of bile into the small intestines, where the detergent-like bile salts break up fats.

—David Schardt

For reasons not yet entirely clear, many people, women more often than men, are predisposed to forming stones in their gallbladder.

—Sherwin B. Nuland

Examples of gallbladder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The American Cancer Society identifies it as a factor in 40% of all cancer cases and 50% of cancer deaths, with clear links to malignancies of the uterus, esophagus, kidney, liver and gallbladder. —Robert Pearl, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024

Surgical tools are inserted through the remaining incisions to remove the gallbladder carefully. —Lindsay Curtis, Health, 28 Nov. 2024

The team said Maharaj faced low odds of survival, but persevered through 11 rounds of chemotherapy and major surgery to remove his gallbladder and parts of his pancreas, small intestine and stomach. —San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 May 2024

When this occurs, bile collects in the gallbladder, causing the gallbladder to swell and increase in size. —Doru Paul, Health, 20 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

gall entry 1 + bladder

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

gallbladder

noun

gall·​blad·​der ˈgȯl-ˌblad-ər 

: a muscular sac in which bile from the liver is stored

Medical Definition

gallbladder

noun

gall·​blad·​der ˈgȯl-ˌblad-ər 

: a membranous muscular sac in which bile from the liver is concentrated and stored before being passed to the duodenum

Gallstones are made of cholesterol, a normal component of the bile stored in the gallbladder.

—D. Shiga, Science News

Removal of the gallbladder—a pear-shaped sac in the right side of your abdomen—has little adverse effect on digestion. After surgery, bile flows directly from your liver to your small intestine rather than being stored first in your gallbladder.

—Mayo Clinic Health Letter