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Glite Dictionary
blind gut

blind gut

7.7
A pouch at the start of the large intestine where the small intestine opens
  • noun
  • /blaɪnd ɡʌt/
  • Archaic
translation icon : ciego
  • Food from the small intestine passes into the blind gut before entering the colon.

Examples

  • The surgeon examined the blind gut for signs of inflammation near the appendix.

  • In some animals, the blind gut is larger and plays an important role in digestion.

  • The blind gut is an important part of the digestive system.

  • Can you explain the function of the blind gut?

  • Food from the small intestine passes into the blind gut before entering the colon.

  • In some animals, the blind gut is larger and plays an important role in digestion.

  • The surgeon examined the blind gut for signs of inflammation near the appendix.

Synonyms

cecum
vsblind gut
  • Specialized
2 8.8

A pouch at the start of the large intestine where the small intestine opens

is the same structure but expressed by a different name

Surface Forms

blind gut singular
blind guts plural

Morphology

blind + gut

The phrase can be analyzed compositionally as 'a gut that is blind' — i.e. a blind-ending pouch — so there is a clear link between the parts. However, this depends on the less obvious sense of 'blind' meaning 'having no outlet/ending' rather than 'unable to see', which many B1 learners may not know, so the predictability is partial.

Etymology

Blind gut may come from the image of a small pouch in the intestine that ends like a 'dead end'. Because food can enter this pouch but cannot pass straight through, people called it a blind gut, and the term today means the pouch at the start of the large intestine.