WordGarden.iothymus
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /θˈaɪməs/
US
- /θˈaɪməs/
Meanings
Noun
a gland behind the breastbone that helps the immune system develop
Proper-noun
the plant genus that includes thyme and related aromatic herbs
Beyond the definition
The thymus is a small organ in your upper chest, just behind the breastbone. It is most active during childhood and helps your body develop T-cells, an important kind of white blood cell that helps fight infection. You can think of it as a training place where these cells learn how to protect the body without attacking healthy tissue. As you get older, the organ becomes smaller and is gradually replaced by fat, but the T-cells trained there continue to support your immune system.
The thymus is a small organ in the upper chest, behind the breastbone and between the lungs. It is one of the body's primary lymphoid organs and plays a central role in the immune system. Many people rarely think about it, but it is especially important early in life because it helps the body build a healthy immune response.
Its main job is to help immature T-lymphocytes, or T-cells, mature. These cells are a major part of the body's defense system. In the thymus, they learn to recognize the difference between the body's own tissues and harmful foreign material. This process helps lower the risk that the immune system will attack the body by mistake.
The organ grows through childhood, reaches its largest size around puberty, and then slowly shrinks, a process called involution. Even after it becomes smaller, the T-cells that matured there continue to play an important role in immune protection.
You might see this word in discussions of conditions such as thymoma, which is a tumor of this organ, or myasthenia gravis, a disease that is sometimes linked to problems with it. It can also appear in descriptions of immune disorders in which this organ is missing or does not work properly. Though small and often overlooked in adults, it plays a quiet but important part in building the body's defenses.
Examples
- 1
Immune system
In children, the thymus plays an important role in developing the immune system.
- 2
Medical scan
The scan showed an enlarged thymus, so the doctor ordered more tests.
- 3
Aging
Researchers are studying how the thymus changes with age and becomes smaller in adults.
See also
Similar
- thymus gland
Shades of meaning
Contrast
- bone marrow
Do not confuse
Used with (collocations)
- enlarged thymus
- thymus tissue
- thymus function
Word family
- thymic
Explore
- T cell
- lymphoid organ
Forms and spellings
3 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- thymusnoun
Forms
- thymipluralnoun
- thymusespluralnoun