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View synonyms for thymus
thymus
[ thahy-muhs ]
noun
, Anatomy.
, plural thy·mus·es, thy·mi [thahy, -mahy].
- a ductless, butterfly-shaped gland lying at the base of the neck, formed mostly of lymphatic tissue and aiding in the production of T cells of the immune system: after puberty, the lymphatic tissue gradually degenerates.
thymus
/ ˈθaɪməs /
noun
- a glandular organ of vertebrates, consisting in man of two lobes situated below the thyroid. In early life it produces lymphocytes and is thought to influence certain immunological responses. It atrophies with age and is almost nonexistent in the adult
thymus
/ thī′məs /
- An organ of the lymphatic system located behind the upper sternum (breastbone). T cells (T lymphocytes) develop and mature in the thymus before entering the circulation. In humans, the thymus stops growing in early childhood and gradually shrinks in size through adulthood, resulting in a gradual decline in immune system function.
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Word History and Origins
Origin of thymus1
1685–95; < New Latin < Greek thýmos warty excrescence, thymus
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Word History and Origins
Origin of thymus1
C17: from New Latin, from Greek thumos sweetbread
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Example Sentences
The thymus gland attains a considerable development in the embryo and shrinks away to the merest vestige in the adult.
From Project Gutenberg
Owen says that the thymus appears in vertebrates with the establishment of the lung as the main or exclusive respiratory organ.
From Project Gutenberg
The enlargement or persistence of the thymus can be better recognised, and doctors now seldom fail to notice it.
From Project Gutenberg
It is nearly always accompanied by a distinct hypertrophy of the thymus gland.
From Project Gutenberg
The thymus gland, which lies near the heart and is often called the heart sweetbread, is the best one.
From Project Gutenberg
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