gallbladder

American  

[gawl-blad-er] / ˈgɔlˌblæd ər /

Or gall bladder

noun

Anatomy.

1. a pear-shaped, muscular sac attached to the undersurface of the right lobe of the liver, in which bile is stored and concentrated.

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gallbladder Scientific  

/ gôl′blăd′ər /

1. A small, pear-shaped muscular sac in most vertebrates in which bile is stored. The gallbladder is located beneath the liver and secretes bile into the duodenum of the small intestine.

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gallbladder Cultural  

1. A small, muscular sac located under the liver. Bile is stored in the gallbladder until it is needed by the small intestine for digestion. (See digestive system.)

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Etymology

Origin of gallbladder

First recorded in 1670–80; gall ¹ + bladder

Explanation

Your gallbladder is an organ in your body that helps you digest fat. The gallbladder is situated just underneath the liver, on the right side of the body. Your gallbladder aids in digestion by storing the bile your liver produces and releasing it into your small intestine every time you eat food. Bile is a liquid that helps break down the fat you eat. When someone has a problem with their gallbladder (like a tendency to get painful, hardened masses called gallstones), they sometimes have surgery to remove the organ. You can live without a gallbladder, although it's harder to digest fatty food without one.

Example Sentences

Tuft cells are found in several parts of the body, including the airways, gallbladder, and reproductive system, not just the gut.

From Science Daily • Mar. 28, 2026

The number of gallbladder surgeries recorded by NHS England in 2024-25 was at its highest peak in the past decade.

From BBC • Jan. 29, 2026

More research is needed into whether there may be a link between weight-loss injections and an increase in gallbladder removals, specialist doctors have said.

From BBC • Jan. 29, 2026

Since her gallbladder removal, her appetite has grown, and she loves to bake.

From Slate • Sep. 15, 2025

I accidentally broke a gallbladder, spilling a thin yellow bile that I then had to carefully rinse off the carcass.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan