# spleen

/ˈspɫin/ (US) · /splˈiːn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/spleen
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. body organ

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

an organ near your stomach that helps clean your blood and fight infections.

For teachers: a ductless vascular organ located in the left upper abdomen that filters blood and produces lymphocytes.

- The doctor checked his abdomen to see if his spleen was swollen.
- Following the blunt force trauma to the torso, the surgical team monitored the patient closely for signs of a ruptured spleen.

### 2. anger or spite

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary · Archaic

a feeling of anger, bad mood, or wanting to be mean to someone.

For teachers: a state of ill-temper, spite, or resentment; often used in the idiom 'to vent one's spleen'.

- He used the newspaper column to vent his spleen against the local government.
- The critic's review was filled with spleen, attacking not just the play but the personal character of the lead actor.

### 3. to express anger

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic

to complain loudly or show that you are very annoyed.

For teachers: to vent one's anger or to rail against something; frequently used in an intransitive or reflexive sense.

- She would often spleen about the unfairness of her situation to anyone who would listen.
- Rather than seeking a constructive solution, he spent the afternoon spleening against the new corporate regulations.

## Examples

- The doctor checked his spleen for any signs of swelling.
- After the accident, the surgeon had to perform an emergency operation to repair the patient's ruptured spleen.
- The critic used his weekly column to vent his spleen against the modern art movement, attacking every new exhibition with a mixture of wit and genuine vitriol.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.