Definition

A small, pear-shaped sac in the body that stores bile produced by the liver until it is needed for digestion.

Example

The doctor explained that the gallbladder helps in digesting fats by releasing bile.

Conversation

I heard someone had to get their gallbladder removed recently.

Really? I didn't know that was a common issue.

Yeah, apparently it can cause a lot of pain if it gets inflamed.

That sounds rough! I hope they recover quickly.

Root Explanation

Gallbladder → It is formed from "gall" (from Old English *gealla*, meaning bile) and "bladder" (from Old English *blædre*, meaning a sac or bladder). The word "gallbladder" refers to the sac that stores bile, which is a digestive fluid produced by the liver.

Memory Tip

Think of 'gall' as the bile that the 'bladder' stores — the gallbladder is the sac that holds bile.

Visually Confused Words