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A.Word.A.Day--duodenum

This week's theme: words related to number 12, to mark the 12th anniversary of the founding of Wordsmith.org.

duodenum (doo-uh-DEE-nuhm, doo-OD-n-uhm, dyoo-) noun

The first portion of the small intestine (so called because its length is approximately twelve fingers' breadth).

[From Medieval Latin, short for intestinum duodenum digitorum (intestine of twelve fingers), from Latin duodeni (twelve each), from duodecim (twelve).]

An illustration of a duodenum and a view from the inside.

See more usage examples of duodenum in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

-Anu Garg (garg AT wordsmith.org)

"Iron enters the body in foods that are broken down for absorption in the duodenum." Lawrence K. Altman, MD; Iron in Diet is Poison for a Million Americans; The New York Times; Nov 27, 1990.

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