Prostate

Prostate
: A gland within the male reproductive system that is located just below the bladder. Chestnut shaped, the prostate surrounds the beginning of the urethra, the canal that empties the bladder. The prostate is actually not one but many glands, 30-50 in number, between which is abundant tissue containing many bundles of smooth muscle. The secretion of the prostate is a milky fluid that is discharged into the urethra at the time of the ejaculation of semen. The origin of the name "prostate" is quite curious. The word is from the Greek "prostates", to stand before. The anatomist Herophilus called it the prostate because, as he saw matters, it stands before the testes.
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A chestnut-shaped body, surrounding the beginning of the urethra in the male, that consists of two lateral lobes connected anteriorly by an isthmus and posteriorly by a middle lobe lying above and between the ejaculatory ducts. In structure, the p. consists of 30–50 compound tubuloalveolar glands between which is abundant stroma consisting of collagen and elastic fibers and many smooth muscle bundles. The secretion of the glands is a milky fluid that is discharged by excretory ducts into the prostatic urethra at the time of the emission of semen. SYN: prostata [TA], glandula prostatica, p. gland.
- female p. term sometimes applied to the periurethral glands in the upper part of the urethra in the female.
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Physicians for Rational Ordering and Screening Tests and Therapeutic Effectiveness

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pros·tate 'präs-.tāt n PROSTATE GLAND
prostate adj of, relating to, or being the prostate gland

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pros·tate (prosґtāt) [Gr. prostates one who stands before, from pro before + histanai to stand] a gland in the male that surrounds the bladder neck and urethra. It consists of a median lobe and two lateral lobes, and is made up partly of glandular matter whose ducts empty into the prostatic part of the urethra, and partly of muscular fibers that encircle the urethra. The prostate contributes to the seminal fluid a secretion containing acid phosphatase, citric acid, and proteolytic enzymes that account for the liquefaction of the coagulated semen. Called also prostata [TA] and prostate gland. prostatic adj

Prostate and seminal vesicles.


Medical dictionary. 2011.

Look at other dictionaries:

  • prostate — [ prɔstat ] n. f. • 1555 les prostates « lobes de la prostate »; gr. prostatês « qui se tient en avant » ♦ Glande à sécrétion externe et interne de l appareil génital masculin, située autour de la partie initiale de l urètre et en dessous de la… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • prostate — 1640s, from M.Fr. prostate, from M.L. prostata the prostate, from Gk. prostates (aden) prostate (gland), from prostates one standing in front, from proistanai set before, from pro before (see PRO (Cf. pro )) + histanai cause t …   Etymology dictionary

  • prostate — UK [ˈprɒˌsteɪt] / US [ˈprɑˌsteɪt] or prostate gland UK / US noun [countable] Word forms prostate : singular prostate plural prostates medical the organ in a man s body that produces a liquid that combines with and carries sperm …   English dictionary

  • Prostate — Pros tate, a. [Gr. ? standing before, fr. ? to set before; ? before + ? to set: cf. F. prostate.] (Anat.) Standing before; applied to a gland which is found in the males of most mammals, and is situated at the neck of the bladder where this joins …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • prostate — prostate, prostrate The prostate (or prostate gland) is a gland surrounding the neck of the bladder in male animals. Prostrate is an adjective and verb: the adjective is pronounced with the stress on the first syllable and means ‘lying… …   Modern English usage

  • prostate — [prästat′ikpräs′tāt΄] adj. [ML prostata < Gr prostatēs, one standing before < proistanai, to set before < pro , before + histanai, to STAND] of or relating to the prostate gland: also prostatic [prästat′ik] n. PROSTATE GLAND …   English World dictionary

  • prostate — ► NOUN ▪ a gland surrounding the neck of the bladder in male mammals and releasing a fluid component of semen. DERIVATIVES prostatic adjective. ORIGIN Greek prostat s one that stands before …   English terms dictionary

  • Prostate — For the female prostate gland, see Skene s gland. For the prostrate body position, see Prostration. Prostate Male Anatomy …   Wikipedia

  • Prostate — Appareil génital masculin : 1. Vessie 2. Pubis (os) 3. Pénis 4. Corps caverneux 5. Gland 6. Prépuce 7. Méat urétral 8. Côlon sigmoïde 9. Rectum 10. Vésicule séminale 11. Canal éjac …   Wikipédia en Français

  • prostate — noun Etymology: New Latin prostata prostate gland, from Greek prostatēs, from proïstanai to put in front, from pro before + histanai to cause to stand more at pro , stand Date: 1646 prostate gland • prostatic adjective …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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