cecum

or cae·cum

[ see-kuhm ]

noun

, Anatomy, Zoology.

, plural ce·ca [see, -k, uh].

1. a cul-de-sac, especially that in which the large intestine begins.

cecum

/ ˈsiːkəm /

noun

1. a variant spelling of caecum

cecum

/ sē′kəm /

, Plural ceca

1. A large pouch forming the beginning of the large intestine. The appendix and the ileum of the small intestine both connect to the cecum.

Derived Forms

• ˈcecal, adjective

Other Words From

• cecal adjective
• cecal·ly adverb
• sub·cecal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cecum¹

1715–25; short for Latin intestinum caecum blind gut

Example Sentences

Mice possess a cecum -- a pouch in their digestive system that slows the flow of intestinal contents and helps digest carbohydrates, which may contribute to being able to better tolerate sorbitol.

From Science Daily

But they did make one interesting discovery: Species who had an appendix tend to have higher concentrations of lymphoid tissue in their cecum, a pouch that connects the small and large intestine.

From Time

Its right side includes the cecum and the ascending colon, while the left side is made up of the descending colon, the sigmoid colon and the rectum.

From Washington Post

Further ultrasounds had confirmed Javsicas’s diagnosis, the cecum was damaged and the affected area could be surgically removed.

From New York Times

A large cecum was no longer necessary, and it began to shrink; today our cecum is tiny.

From Science Magazine