pancreatic juice

American

noun

Biochemistry.

a thick, colorless, very alkaline fluid secreted by the pancreas, containing enzymes that break down protein, fat, and starch.

pancreatic juice British

noun

the clear alkaline secretion of the pancreas that is released into the duodenum and contains several digestive enzymes

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of pancreatic juice

First recorded in 1655–65

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The most common form of pancreatic cancer is adenocarcinoma, which develops in the glandular cells that produce pancreatic juice.

From Science Daily

Similarly, the pancreas controls pH levels in the small intestine by secreting bicarbonate-rich pancreatic juice.

From US News

One particularly productive dog had evidently set a record by producing active pancreatic juice for ten days before dying.

From The New Yorker

The sphincter of Oddi is the muscular valve located at the exit of the bile and pancreatic ducts; it controls the flow of bile and pancreatic juices essential for digestion.

From Washington Post

A product of gastric and pancreatic digestion, differing from hemipeptone in not being decomposed by the continued action of pancreatic juice.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023