spleen

3 synonyms and 4 antonyms for spleen, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — An organ in the upper left abdomen that filters blood, recycles old red blood cells, and supports the immune system.

Synonyms

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

irascibility lien milt

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

An organ in the upper left abdomen that filters blood, recycles old red blood cells, and supports the immune system.

“Doctors sometimes remove a badly damaged spleen after severe trauma.”

irascibility lien milt

2. noun

Bad temper or spite, especially when vented openly.

“He vented his spleen on social media after the decision.”

Opposites

geniality benevolence magnanimity cheerfulness

How to use spleen

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

vent one's spleen a ruptured spleen

Etymology

From Old French esplein and Latin splēn, ultimately from Greek σπλήν (splḗn), "the spleen" — historically the organ was believed to be the source of bad temper and melancholy, which gave rise to the figurative sense.

Full origin of spleen →

Frequently asked questions

What does “spleen” mean?

The word “spleen” means an organ in the upper left abdomen that filters blood, recycles old red blood cells, and supports the immune system. In plain terms, either the blood-filtering organ near the stomach, or (figuratively) anger vented openly.

How do you pronounce “spleen”?

“Spleen” is pronounced spleen (/spliːn/ in IPA).

How do you use “spleen” in a sentence?

Here is “spleen” used in a sentence: “Doctors sometimes remove a badly damaged spleen after severe trauma.”

What is another word for “spleen”?

Words with a similar meaning to “spleen” include lien and milt.

What part of speech is “spleen”?

“Spleen” is a noun.

Where does the word “spleen” come from?

The word “spleen” comes from Latin. From Old French esplein and Latin splēn, ultimately from Greek σπλήν (splḗn), "the spleen" — historically the organ was believed to be the source of bad temper and melancholy, which gave rise to the figurative sense.

Is “spleen” a common word?

“Spleen” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “spleen” have?

“Spleen” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an organ in the upper left abdomen that filters blood, recycles old red blood cells, and supports the immune system.

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lien cheerfulness milt benevolence geniality magnanimity

Nearby words

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