bladder

Alternative forms

• blather, blether (Scotland)

Etymology

From Middle English bladder, bledder, bladdre, bleddre, from Old English blæddre, a variant of blǽdre, blēdre (“blister, bladder”), from Proto-Germanic *bladrōn, *blēdrōn (“blister, bladder”); akin to Old High German platara (German Blatter) and Old Norse blaðra (Danish blære).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈblædə(ɹ)/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ædə(r)

Noun

bladder (plural bladders)

1. (zoology) A flexible sac that can expand and contract and that holds liquids or gases.
2. (anatomy) Specifically, the urinary bladder.
3. (botany) A hollow, inflatable organ of a plant.
4. The inflatable bag inside various balls used in sports, such as footballs and rugby balls.
5. A sealed plastic bag that contains wine and is usually packaged in a cask.
6. (figuratively) Anything inflated, empty, or unsound.
   • Rochester

     to swim with bladders of philosophy

Verb

bladder (third-person singular simple present bladders, present participle bladdering, simple past and past participle bladdered)

1. To swell out like a bladder with air; to inflate.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of G. Fletcher to this entry?)

2. (transitive) To store or put up in bladders.

   bladdered lard

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

bladder f, m (plural bladders, diminutive bladdertje n)

1. blister, particularly of paint