noun
Uncommon
spleen
spleen
Spleen (noun) means an organ in the upper left abdomen that filters blood, recycles old red blood cells, and supports the immune system. Example: “Doctors sometimes remove a badly damaged spleen after severe trauma.”
noun
1
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."
2
Bad temper or spite, especially when vented openly.
"He vented his spleen on social media after the decision."
How to use spleen
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the blood-filtering organ near the stomach, or (figuratively) anger vented openly.
Common pairings
vent one's spleen
a ruptured spleen
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Word forms
- Plural
- spleens
- Third person singular
- spleens
- Past tense
- spleened
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Doctors sometimes remove a badly damaged _____ after severe trauma.
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.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for spleen
See all rhymes for 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.
