melena

noun

me·​le·​na
variants or chiefly British melaena
: the passage of dark tarry stools containing decomposing blood that is usually an indication of bleeding in the upper part of the digestive tract and especially the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum compare hematochezia
melenic adjective

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Cite this Entry

“Melena.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/melena. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.

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