Added 9 October 2026
spleen
/spliːn/ noun
In Latin: liēn Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about spleen at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- In vertebrates, including humans, a ductless vascular gland, located in the upper left abdomen near the stomach, which destroys old red blood cells, removes debris from the bloodstream, acts as a reservoir of blood, and produces lymphocytes.
- A bad mood; spitefulness. Compare gall.
- A sudden motion or action; a fit; a freak; a whim.
verb
Origin
From Middle English splene, splen, from Anglo-Norman espleen and Old French esplein, esplen, from Latin splēn (“milt”), from Ancient Greek σπλήν (splḗn, “the spleen”). Doublet of lien. Partially displaced the native English term milt.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)