Pyloric

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to or denoting the opening between the stomach and small intestine that controls the passage of partially digested food
2. Pertaining to the region or structure surrounding the valve that regulates the flow of digested food from the stomach to the small intestine
3. Associated with the muscular opening that allows food to pass from the stomach into the small intestine, thus facilitating digestion

Etymology: "Pyloric" is the adjective form of "pylorus," the anatomical name for the lower opening of the stomach where food passes into the small intestine. The base noun comes from Greek "pylōros," meaning "gatekeeper" or "guard of a gate," built from "pylē," a gate, and "ouros," a watcher or guardian. The image is a sphincter that acts as a gatekeeper controlling what leaves the stomach. The adjective is formed in English by adding the suffix "-ic," which means "of or relating to," to "pylorus." Its route into English ran through Latin, which carried the suffix "-icus," and then through Old French and Middle English, where the ending appeared in forms like "-ik" before settling into the modern "-ic." So the word combines a Greek noun with a suffix that English inherited through several languages.

Synonyms: antral