Pronunciation: [blˈadə] (IPA) 
The word "bladder" is spelled with two consonants and two vowels. The IPA phonetic transcription of this word is /ˈblædər/. The "b" in "bladder" is pronounced with a voiced bilabial stop followed by a voiced alveolar fricative sound of "l". The second syllable in "bladder" is pronounced as a short vowel "a" followed by a voiced alveolar fricative sound of "d". The final syllable in "bladder" is pronounced as a short vowel "er" sound.
The term "bladder" refers to an anatomical structure found in various organisms, primarily mammals, that functions as a muscular sac to store fluid. In humans, the bladder is an integral component of the urinary system. It is a hollow organ positioned in the pelvis, specifically behind the pubic bone. The primary function of the bladder is to collect, retain, and periodically expel urine produced by the kidneys. Its walls, comprised of smooth muscle tissue called detrusor muscle, allow the bladder to stretch as it gradually fills with urine.
The bladder is connected to the kidneys via the ureters, which transfer urine from the renal pelvis into the bladder. The opening through which urine exits the bladder and travels out of the body is known as the urinary orifice. The process of emptying the bladder is controlled by the internal and external urinary sphincters. When the bladder becomes sufficiently full, it sends signals to the brain to initiate the urge to urinate.
Disorders or diseases affecting the bladder can lead to various conditions, such as urinary incontinence, urinary retention, or urinary tract infections. Bladder function can be assessed through various medical examinations, including urinalysis, urodynamic testing, and cystoscopy.
1. Vesica; the distensible elastic bag serving as a receptacle and place of storage for the urine; also any similar receptacle for fluid, as the gall-bladder. 2. Vesicle, blister; any hollowstructure or sac, normal or pathological, containing a serous fluid.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
A thin sack or bag in animals for containing particular fluids, such as the urine and the gall.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "bladder" comes from the Old English word "blædre", which can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic "blē̆stra". This Proto-Germanic term is believed to have been derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*bhle-", meaning to blow up or inflate. The word "bladder" is used to describe the organ that stores urine, as well as certain anatomical structures in other organisms that perform similar functions.
