# spleen

> English word · Noun · IPA /spliːn/ · frequency rank #24,321

## Definitions
1. In vertebrates, including humans, a ductless vascular gland, located in the left upper abdomen near the stomach, which destroys old red blood cells, removes debris from the bloodstream, acts as a reservoir of blood, and produces lymphocytes.
2. A bad mood; spitefulness. Compare gall.
3. A sudden motion or action; a fit; a freak; a whim.
4. Melancholy; hypochondriacal affections.
5. A fit of immoderate laughter or merriment.

## Etymology
From Middle English splene, splen, from Anglo-Norman espleen and Old French esplein, esplen, from Latin splēn (“milt”), from Ancient Greek σπλήν (splḗn, “the spleen”). Doublet of lien. Partially displaced the native English term milt.

## Easily confused with
- **spree** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spleen-vs-spree)
- **steen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spleen-vs-steen)
- **spoken** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spleen-vs-spoken)
- **sullen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spleen-vs-sullen)
- **seen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/seen-vs-spleen)
- **sleep** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sleep-vs-spleen)
- **speed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/speed-vs-spleen)
- **sheen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sheen-vs-spleen)
- **sleek** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sleek-vs-spleen)
- **sleet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sleet-vs-spleen)
- **speer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/speer-vs-spleen)
- **screen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/screen-vs-spleen)
- **solemn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/solemn-vs-spleen)
- **silken** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/silken-vs-spleen)

## Common misspellings (9)
`psleen`, `slpeen`, `spelen`, `spleenn`, `splen`, `splene`, `splleen`, `sppleen`, `sspleen`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/spleen