cecum

noun

ce·​cum ˈsē-kəm 

variants or chiefly British caecum

plural ceca or chiefly British caeca ˈsē-kə 

: a cavity open at one end (such as the blind end of a duct)

especially : the blind pouch at the beginning of the large intestine into which the ileum opens from one side and which is continuous with the colon

cecal adjective

or chiefly British caecal

ˈsē-kəl 

cecally

ˈsē-kə-lē 

adverb

or chiefly British caecally

Examples of cecum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This is the right side of the colon, which extends upward from the cecum. —Cristina Mutchler, Health, 19 Oct. 2024

Dangling off the cecum, where the colon begins, the appendix is a hollow tube that secretes a fair amount of mucus. —Tony Dajer, Discover Magazine, 11 Feb. 2020

The appendix is closed at one end and attached at the other end to the cecum, the pouchlike beginning of the large intestine into which the small intestine empties its contents. —Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Nov. 2022

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin intestinum caecum, literally, blind intestine

First Known Use

circa 1721, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

cecum

noun

ce·​cum

variants also caecum

ˈsē-kəm

plural ceca also caeca

-kə

: a cavity open at one end

especially : the pouch in which the large intestine begins

cecal adjective

also caecal

-kəl

Medical Definition

cecum

noun

ce·​cum

variants or chiefly British caecum

ˈsē-kəm 

plural ceca or chiefly British caeca -kə 

: a cavity open at one end (as the blind end of a duct)

especially : the blind pouch at the beginning of the large intestine into which the ileum opens from one side and which is continuous with the colon