mesentery
noun
mes·en·tery
| \ ˈme-zᵊn-ˌter-ē
, -sᵊn-\
, -sᵊn-\
plural mesenteries
Definition of mesentery
1a
: one or more vertebrate membranes that consist of a double fold of the peritoneum and invest the intestines and their appendages and connect them with the dorsal wall of the abdominal cavity
b
: a fold of membrane comparable to a mesentery and supporting a viscus (such as the heart) that is not a part of the digestive tract
2
: a support or partition in an invertebrate like the vertebrate mesentery
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Other Words from mesentery
mesenteric
\ ˌme-zᵊn-ˈter-ik
, -sᵊn- \
adjective
, -sᵊn- \
adjective
Examples of mesentery in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But while performing an increasing number of colorectal surgeries, Coffey had begun to suspect that the mesentery was one continuous organ. — Claudia Kalb, National Geographic, "Why Leonardo da Vinci’s brilliance endures, 500 years after his death," 12 June 2019 Since the publication of Gray’s Anatomy in 1858 (then called Anatomy: Descriptive and Surgical), students have been taught that the mesentery is composed of several separate structures. — Claudia Kalb, National Geographic, "Why Leonardo da Vinci’s brilliance endures, 500 years after his death," 12 June 2019 Last year, an Irish surgeon discovered the mesentery, which connects the intestine to the abdomen. — Brett Molina, USA TODAY, "Study says we have an undiscovered organ. It's called the interstitium," 28 Mar. 2018 The discovery comes only a year or so after scientists reported the discovery of another organ called the mesentery, which was found to be a kind of fatty strip that helps hold the intestines in place. — Scott Berson, charlotteobserver, "Scientists discovered a new ‘organ’ in the body. It may explain how cancer spreads | Charlotte Observer," 27 Mar. 2018 In the press release, Coffey says treating the mesentery like an organ could lead to medical breakthroughs. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Meet Your Newest Organ: The Mesentery," 4 Jan. 2017 According to Ben Guarino at The Washington Post, the mesentery has been in the anatomy books for over a century. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Meet Your Newest Organ: The Mesentery," 4 Jan. 2017 There is also one big problem with defining the organ: no one knows exactly what the mesentery's function is. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Meet Your Newest Organ: The Mesentery," 4 Jan. 2017 A new study claims the mesentery should be considered an organ unto itself rather than disparate parts. — National Geographic, "7 Amazing Animal Organs People Don't Have," 14 Jan. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mesentery.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for mesentery
mesentery
noun
mes·en·tery
| \ ˈmez-ᵊn-ˌter-ē
, ˈmes-
\
, ˈmes-
\
plural mesenteries
Medical Definition of mesentery
1
: one or more vertebrate membranes that consist of a double fold of the peritoneum and invest the intestines and their appendages and connect them with the dorsal wall of the abdominal cavity
specifically
: such membranes connected with the jejunum and ileum in humans
2
: a fold of membrane comparable to a mesentery and supporting a viscus (as the heart) that is not a part of the digestive tract