duodenum
noun
du·o·de·num ˌdü-ə-ˈdē-nəm 
du̇-ˈä-də-nəm
du̇-ˈä-də-nəm also (ˌ)dyü-
plural duodena ˌdü-ə-ˈdē-nə
du̇-ˈä-də-nə
or duodenums : the first part of the small intestine extending from the pylorus to the jejunum
duodenal
ˌdü-ə-ˈdē-nᵊl du̇-ˈä-də-nəl
adjective du̇-ˈä-də-nəl 
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Use Sherlock Holmesian deduction to locate the start of Nordic Flower (5.14b) among a bewildering grouping of quickdraws dangling like villi in the duodenum of Scandinavian jotun. 
Jeff Jackson, Outside Online, 28 July 2022 Gastroduodenal occurs when your stomach and the top of the small intestine (your duodenum) are inflamed. SELF, 11 Feb. 2022 And that led to development of what's called the sweat test, which really took the place of that putting the tube down the throat and getting samples of the secretions and the duodenum for making the diagnosis. Katie Hafner, Scientific American, 11 Nov. 2021 Most ulcers, both in the stomach and the duodenum, are due to an infection called Helicobacter pylori, which was discovered in the 1980s. Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 31 May 2021 The tube is inserted through the patient’s mouth and stomach, then into the first part of the small intestine, called the duodenum. Roni Caryn Rabin, New York Times, 6 Aug. 2019 Duke University researchers have observed rudimentary, but functional, stomachs, small intestines, and duodenums growing inside cancerous lungs — illustrating how varied and plastic these metastatic cells can be. Meghana Keshavan, STAT, 29 Mar. 2018 He was hospitalized, but physicians were unaware of a perforated duodenum, a portion of the small intestine, the complaint says. Megan Cassidy, azcentral, 9 Mar. 2018 The researchers speculate that bacteria may invade pancreatic tumors by migrating from the duodenum, the top section of the small intestine. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 17 Sep. 2017 See More
Jeff Jackson, Outside Online, 28 July 2022 Gastroduodenal occurs when your stomach and the top of the small intestine (your duodenum) are inflamed. SELF, 11 Feb. 2022 And that led to development of what's called the sweat test, which really took the place of that putting the tube down the throat and getting samples of the secretions and the duodenum for making the diagnosis. Katie Hafner, Scientific American, 11 Nov. 2021 Most ulcers, both in the stomach and the duodenum, are due to an infection called Helicobacter pylori, which was discovered in the 1980s. Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 31 May 2021 The tube is inserted through the patient’s mouth and stomach, then into the first part of the small intestine, called the duodenum. Roni Caryn Rabin, New York Times, 6 Aug. 2019 Duke University researchers have observed rudimentary, but functional, stomachs, small intestines, and duodenums growing inside cancerous lungs — illustrating how varied and plastic these metastatic cells can be. Meghana Keshavan, STAT, 29 Mar. 2018 He was hospitalized, but physicians were unaware of a perforated duodenum, a portion of the small intestine, the complaint says. Megan Cassidy, azcentral, 9 Mar. 2018 The researchers speculate that bacteria may invade pancreatic tumors by migrating from the duodenum, the top section of the small intestine. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 17 Sep. 2017 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Medieval Latin, from Latin duodeni twelve each, from duodecim twelve; from its length, about 12 fingers' breadth
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
duodenum
noun
du·o·de·num ˌd(y)ü-ə-ˈdē-nəm d(y)u̇-ˈäd-ᵊn-əm
d(y)u̇-ˈäd-ᵊn-əm plural duodena -ˈdē-nə, -ᵊn-ə or duodenums
or duodenums : the first, shortest, and widest part of the small intestine that in humans is about 10 inches (25 centimeters) long and that extends from the pylorus to the undersurface of the liver where it descends for a variable distance and receives the bile and pancreatic ducts and then bends to the left and finally upward to join the jejunum near the second lumbar vertebra