lymph node

IPA/ˈlɪmf nəʊd/
IPA/ˈlɪmf nəʊd/

lymph node — noun

1. a small, bean-shaped organ of the immune system that removes bacteria and viruse

1.nounB2
Definition

a small, bean-shaped organ of the immune system that removes bacteria and viruses from the fluid circulating through body tissues

Example

The doctor gently pressed on my neck to check if my lymph nodes were swollen.

collocation: swollen lymph nodes

A throat infection can make the lymph nodes in your neck feel sore and enlarged.

collocation: lymph nodes in [body part]

Common collocations
  • swollen lymph nodes
  • enlarged lymph nodes
  • lymph node biopsy
  • lymph nodes in the neck / armpit / groin
  • tender lymph nodes
  • lymph node metastasis
Synonyms
  • lymph gland

    older, informal term for the same structure; still heard in everyday speech but less common in modern medical writing

Grammar Patterns

lymph node + verb (filter / trap / swell)

adjective + lymph node(s) (swollen / enlarged / tender)

Usage Note

Often used in the plural form (lymph nodes) when describing the lymphatic system in general; the singular is more common when referring to a specific location or when the result of a single biopsy is being discussed.

Common Mistakes

The doctor checked my lymph.
The doctor checked my lymph nodes.
Lymph is the clear fluid in the body; lymph nodes are the small organs that filter it.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Lymph node is the current standard medical term for the small, bean-shaped filters of the lymphatic system. The older name lymph gland is still used by some patients and in general conversation, but medical professionals now distinguish glands (which secrete substances) from nodes (which filter lymph). Lymphatic vessels are the tubes that carry lymph fluid between nodes, not the nodes themselves. The tonsils are a specialised type of lymphoid tissue at the back of the throat, while the spleen is a single larger organ that also filters blood — both are part of the immune system but distinct from individual lymph nodes. For example: 'The biopsy sampled one lymph node, not the whole spleen.'

lymph glandlymphatic vesseltonsil ↗spleen ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • swollen lymph nodes
  • enlarged lymph nodes
  • lymph node biopsy
  • lymph node metastasis

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

The word lymph comes from Latin lympha, meaning 'clear water' or 'spring water', referring to the clear fluid that circulates in the lymphatic system. The word node comes from Latin nodus, meaning 'knot', describing the knot-like appearance of these small organs. The compound lymph node entered English medical writing in the 17th century when anatomists began mapping the body's lymphatic network.

First known use

1892

1892, in the meaning defined above