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gallbladder

/ˈgɔlˌblædər/
/ˈgɔlblædə/
IPA guide

Other forms: gallbladders

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.

Definitions of gallbladder
  1. noun
    a muscular sac attached to the liver that stores bile (secreted by the liver) until it is needed for digestion
    synonyms: gall bladder
    see moresee less
    type of:
    bladder, vesica
    a distensible membranous sac (usually containing liquid or gas)
Pronunciation
US
/ˈgɔlˌblædər/
UK
/ˈgɔlblædə/
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