bladder
UK[ˈblædə]US[ˈblædər]
n
A hollow organ in the body that holds urine or air.
n
An inflatable bag inside a ball or other object.
Etymology
The word 'bladder' originates from the Old English 'blǣdre' or 'blǣddre', which meant 'bladder, blister, pimple'. This Old English term is cognate with Old Norse 'blaðra' (bladder) and Old High German 'blātara' (blister). These Germanic forms are believed to descend from the Proto-Germanic 'blēdrǭ', itself from the Proto-Indo-European root 'bhlē-', meaning 'to blow, swell'. The core semantic thread from its ancient origin to its modern medical and general usage is the concept of a flexible, inflatable, or fluid-filled sac.
Analysis
This word is a simplex form derived from a single Old English root. It is not productively segmentable into distinct, meaningful morphemes in modern English.
Examples
The doctor scanned his bladder for any signs of infection.
A football has an inner bladder made of latex.
The seaweed has small air bladders that help it float.