thymus
[ thahy-muh s ]
/ ˈθaɪ məs /
noun, plural thy·mus·es, thy·mi [thahy-mahy] /ˈθaɪ maɪ/. Anatomy.
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.
Also called
thymus gland.
Origin of thymus
1685–95; < New Latin < Greek
thýmos warty excrescence, thymus
Words nearby thymus
thymokinetic,
thymol,
thymoma,
thymoprival,
thymosin,
thymus,
thymus corpuscle,
thymus gland,
thymy,
thyone,
thyratron
Example sentences from the Web for thymus
British Dictionary definitions for thymus
thymus
/ (ˈθaɪməs) /
noun plural -muses or -mi (-maɪ)
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
Word Origin for thymus
C17: from New Latin, from Greek
thumos sweetbread
Medical definitions for thymus
thymus
[ thī′məs ]
n. pl. thy•mus•es
A lymphoid organ that is located in the superior mediastinum and lower part of the neck and is necessary in early life for the normal development of immunological function.
The thymus of a calf or lamb.
Scientific definitions for thymus
thymus
[ thī′məs ]
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.