noun
caecum
SEE-kum
Caecum (noun) means the caecum is a pouch at the start of the large intestine, connecting it to the small intestine. Example: “The appendix is attached to the caecum.”
noun
1
technical The caecum is a pouch at the start of the large intestine, connecting it to the small intestine.
"The appendix is attached to the caecum."
"Surgeons located the caecum during the operation."
"The caecum receives partly digested food from the small intestine."
How to use caecum
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA pouch where the small intestine joins the large intestine.
When to use it
Caecum is a formal anatomical term used mainly in medical and biological contexts.
Memory tip
In American English this is usually spelled cecum, without the ae.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
wall of the caecum
caecum and appendix
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The appendix is attached to the _____.
Etymology
Caecum comes from the Latin word caecum, meaning hidden or blind, itself a shortened form of intestinum caecum, or blind gut. That Latin phrase translated an earlier Ancient Greek term for the same structure.
Synonyms
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blind gut
cecum
Frequently asked questions
What is the caecum?
The caecum is a pouch-like structure at the junction of the small and large intestine.
Where is the caecum located?
It sits between the end of the small intestine, the ileum, and the start of the colon.
What is the plural of caecum?
The plural can be written as caecums or caeca.
What is the meaning of caecum?
"caecum" (noun) means the caecum is a pouch at the start of the large intestine, connecting it to the small intestine.
