Viscus

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈvɪskəs/

Definitions

1. An internal organ of an animal which plays a crucial role in various bodily functions, particularly digestion and nutrient absorption
2. The term denotes any of the essential body organs found within cavities, particularly those associated with the digestive system
3. A bodily organ located within the cavities of an organism, primarily involved in digestive and metabolic processes

Etymology: The Latin "viscus" meant "any internal organ of the body," and it is the source of the English "viscus," which still refers to an organ inside the body, especially one of the large cavities such as the stomach or intestines. English took the word directly from Latin, so the sense of "internal organ" has been preserved almost unchanged across the centuries. The word's most interesting feature is its plural. Because it is a Latin noun of the neuter second declension, English speakers usually treat "viscera" as its plural, and that form is far more common than "visci." The plural "viscera" is more familiar to most readers than the singular itself, and it is often used in everyday speech for the insides of the body, including in phrases such as "the viscera" meaning the guts.

Synonyms: gel, mucus, slime, fluid, substance