thymus

[ thahy-muhs ]

noun

, Anatomy.

, plural thy·mus·es, thy·mi [thahy, -mahy].

1. 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

1. 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 /

1. 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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of thymus¹

1685–95; < New Latin < Greek thýmos warty excrescence, thymus

Word History and Origins

Origin of thymus¹

C17: from New Latin, from Greek thumos sweetbread

Example Sentences

A similar study looked at the thymus – a small organ involved in training the immune system.

From BBC

Plus a tweak: The donor pig’s thymus gland, which trains the immune system, was attached to the donated kidney in hopes that it would help Pisano’s body tolerate the new organ.

From Seattle Times

“Later, after the game, I confirmed that I have written specifically about what’s called ‘involution of the thymus’ on my blog in October 2018.

From Seattle Times

Epithelial cells in the thymus present a large number of molecules that occur in the body to the future T cells.

From Science Daily

To prevent these incidents of "friendly fire," T cells developing in the thymus gland need to first be educated to discriminate between the body's own proteins and those of foreign origin.

From Science Daily