bladder

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English bladdre, bleddre, bladder, bledder, from Old English blæddre, a variant of blǣdre, blēdre (blister, bladder), from Proto-Germanic *blēdrǭ, *bladrǭ (blister, bladder); akin to Old High German platara (German Blatter) and Old Norse blaðra (Danish blære).

Pronunciation

Noun

bladder (plural bladders)

  1. (zoology) A flexible sac that can expand and contract and that holds liquids or gases.
  2. (anatomy) Specifically, the urinary bladder.
  3. (botany) A hollow, inflatable organ of a plant.
  4. The inflatable bag inside various balls used in sports, such as footballs and rugby balls.
  5. A sealed plastic bag that contains wine and is usually packaged in a cask.
  6. (figuratively) Anything inflated, empty, or unsound.
    • Rochester
      to swim with bladders of philosophy

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

bladder (third-person singular simple present bladders, present participle bladdering, simple past and past participle bladdered)

  1. To swell out like a bladder with air; to inflate.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of G. Fletcher to this entry?)
  2. (transitive) To store or put up in bladders.
    bladdered lard

Dutch

Pronunciation

  • (file)

Noun

bladder f or m (plural bladders, diminutive bladdertje n)

  1. blister, particularly of paint

Middle English

Noun

bladder

  1. Alternative form of bladdre
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