noun
ileum
IL-ee-um/ˈɪliəm/
The final section of the small intestine.
The model highlights the ileum as it joins the cecum.
Etymology
Latin ileum named intestine in the flank region; the modern term specifies the small intestine’s final section. The name may involve confusion with, or borrowing from, Greek terminology for colic.
In context
ileum is the longest and the most distal segment of the small intestine
More examples
- The scan showed the final loop of the ileum.
- Nutrients were absorbed through the ileum's lining.
- The model distinguished the ileum from the earlier intestinal sections.
Forms
ileum · ilea