different between splenomegaly vs spleen

English

Etymology

spleno- +? -megaly

Noun

splenomegaly (countable and uncountable, plural splenomegalies)

1. (pathology) An enlargement of the spleen.

Derived terms

• hepatosplenomegaly
• hypersplenomegaly
• splenomegalic

Translations

English

Etymology

From Middle English splene, splen, borrowed from Anglo-Norman espleen and Old French esplein, esplen, from Latin spl?n (“milt”), from Ancient Greek ????? (spl?n, “the spleen”). Doublet of lien. Partially displaced the native English term milt.

Pronunciation

• enPR: spl?n, IPA^(key): /spli?n/
• Rhymes: -i?n

Noun

spleen (countable and uncountable, plural spleens)

1. (anatomy, immunology) In vertebrates, including humans, a ductless vascular gland, located in the left upper abdomen near the stomach, which destroys old red blood cells, removes debris from the bloodstream, acts as a reservoir of blood, and produces lymphocytes.
2. (archaic, except in the set phrase "to vent one's spleen") A bad mood; spitefulness.
3. (obsolete, rare) A sudden motion or action; a fit; a freak; a whim.

   • Brief as the lightning in the collied night; That, in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and Earth

4. (obsolete) Melancholy; hypochondriacal affections.
   • 1814, William Wordsworth, The Excursion

     There is a luxury in self-dispraise: / And inward self-disparagement affords / To meditative spleen a grateful feast.

5. A fit of immoderate laughter or merriment.

Synonyms

• milt (now chiefly of animals); lien (uncommon)

Derived terms

Related terms

• splenomegaly

Descendants

• ? French: spleen
• ? German: Spleen

Translations

Verb

spleen (third-person singular simple present spleens, present participle spleening, simple past and past participle spleened)

1. (obsolete, transitive) To dislike.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Bishop Hacket to this entry?)

Anagrams

• pensel, plenes

French

Etymology

Borrowed from English spleen in the 19th century.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /splin/

Noun

spleen m (plural spleens)

1. bad mood, melancholy

Synonyms

• bourdon, cafard, dépression, ennui, hypocondrie, langueur, neurasthénie

Further reading

• “spleen” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).