Thymus gland

Thymus gland
thymus hy"mus (th[imac]"m[u^]s), a. [NL., fr. Gr. qy`mos.] (Anat.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, the thymus gland. -- n. The thymus gland. [1913 Webster]

{Thymus gland}, or {Thymus body}, a ductless gland in the throat, or in the neighboring region, of nearly all vertebrates. In man and other mammals it is the throat, or neck, sweetbread, which lies in the upper part of the thorax and lower part of the throat. It is largest in fetal and early life, and disappears or becomes rudimentary in the adult. The thymus gland functions as the site of maturation of T-lymphocytes (T-cells), which confer cell-mediated immunity on the host organism; thus, removal or malfunciton of the thymus can lead to absence of cell-mediated immunity, and a consequent loss of resistance to infection. [1913 Webster +PJC]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • thymus gland — thymus …   Medical dictionary

  • thymus gland — noun a ductless glandular organ at the base of the neck that produces lymphocytes and aids in producing immunity; atrophies with age • Syn: ↑thymus • Hypernyms: ↑endocrine gland, ↑endocrine, ↑ductless gland • Part Holonyms: ↑neck, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • thymus — hy mus (th[imac] m[u^]s), a. [NL., fr. Gr. qy mos.] (Anat.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, the thymus gland. n. The thymus gland. [1913 Webster] {Thymus gland}, or {Thymus body}, a ductless gland in the throat, or in the neighboring region,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Thymus body — thymus hy mus (th[imac] m[u^]s), a. [NL., fr. Gr. qy mos.] (Anat.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, the thymus gland. n. The thymus gland. [1913 Webster] {Thymus gland}, or {Thymus body}, a ductless gland in the throat, or in the neighboring… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • thymus — ► NOUN (pl. thymi) ▪ a gland situated in the neck which produces white blood cells for the immune system. DERIVATIVES thymic adjective. ORIGIN Greek thumos excrescence like a thyme bud, thymus gland …   English terms dictionary

  • thymus — [thī′məs] n. [ModL < Gr thymos, orig., a warty excrescence] a gland in the upper thorax or neck of all vertebrates, involved in the production of lymphocytes: in humans, it is most prominent at puberty, after which it disappears or becomes… …   English World dictionary

  • thymus — /thuy meuhs/, n., pl. thymuses, thymi / muy/. Anat. 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… …   Universalium

  • Thymus — Infobox Anatomy Name = PAGENAME Latin = GraySubject = 274 GrayPage = 1273 Caption = Thymus Caption2 = The thymus of a full term fetus, exposed in situ. Precursor = third branchial pouch System = Artery = derived from internal mammary artery,… …   Wikipedia

  • Thymus hyperplasia — Infobox Disease Name = PAGENAME Caption = DiseasesDB = ICD10 = ICD10|E|32|0|e|20 ICD9 = ICD9|254.0 ICDO = OMIM = MedlinePlus = eMedicineSubj = eMedicineTopic = MeshID = D013952 Thymus hyperplasia (or thymic hyperplasia) refers to an enlargent (… …   Wikipedia

  • Thymus — An organ in which lymphocytes mature and multiply. It lies behind the breastbone. * * * [NA] A primary lymphoid organ, located in the superior mediastinum and lower part of the neck, that is necessary in early life for the normal development of… …   Medical dictionary

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