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pylorus

py·lo·rus [ pī láwrəss ] (plural py·lo·ri [ pī láw r ])


noun 
Definition:
 
opening from stomach into bowel: the thick muscular ring sphincter surrounding the outlet of the stomach into the duodenum. It closes to prevent unduly large pieces of food from leaving, thus enabling stomach acid and enzymes to break them down further.

[Early 17th century. Via late Latin< Greek puloros "gatekeeper" < pulē "gate"]

py·lo·ric adjective
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