proventriculus
- noun
- /ˌproʊvɛnˈtrɪkjələs/
- Specialized
- The proventriculus produces digestive enzymes before food passes to the gizzard.
Examples
-
In birds, the proventriculus is located between the esophagus and the gizzard.
-
A healthy proventriculus is essential for proper digestion in poultry.
-
The proventriculus is essential for a bird's digestion.
-
Birds have a proventriculus that helps process their food.
-
The proventriculus produces digestive enzymes before food passes to the gizzard.
-
In birds, the proventriculus is located between the esophagus and the gizzard.
-
A healthy proventriculus is essential for proper digestion in poultry.
Surface Forms
Morphology
proventriculus = ventriculus (semi-transparent) = pro + ventriculus
Built from the prefix 'pro-' and 'ventriculus'; the morphemes are identifiable but the precise glandular sense in birds is specialized vocabulary.
Etymology
Proventriculus comes from the Latin parts pro- 'before' and ventriculus 'little belly', like the English words ventricle and ventral. So in birds it is the 'little belly before' the gizzard that produces juices to soften food before it is ground.