rumen

noun

ru·​men ˈrü-mən How to pronounce rumen (audio)
plural rumina ˈrü-mə-nə How to pronounce rumen (audio) or rumens
: the large first compartment of the stomach of a ruminant in which cellulose is broken down by the action of symbiotic microorganisms compare abomasum, omasum, reticulum
ruminal
ˈrü-mə-nᵊl How to pronounce rumen (audio)
adjective

Examples of rumen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Newcastle researchers put cloves, cinnamon and cumin, in addition to the turmeric and coriander, into a solution that includes cow rumen, the bacteria that lives in the cow's digestive tract. — Eric Wolff, Discover Magazine, 5 Oct. 2010 There the cows grazed, chewed cud, and literally ruminated, passing rough forage through a digestive organ, the rumen, that humans lack. — Longreads, 2 Nov. 2022

Word History

Etymology

New Latin rumin-, rumen, from Latin

First Known Use

1707, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rumen was in 1707

Rhymes for rumen

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Browse Nearby Words

Rumelian
rumen
rumenitis
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Cite this Entry

“Rumen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rumen. Accessed 26 Apr. 2025.

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Kids Definition

rumen

noun
ru·​men ˈrü-mən How to pronounce rumen (audio)
plural rumina -mə-nə How to pronounce rumen (audio) or rumens
: the large first compartment of the stomach of a cud-chewing mammal (as a cow) in which cellulose is broken down by the action of microorganisms and in which food is stored prior to chewing

Medical Definition

rumen

noun
ru·​men ˈrü-mən How to pronounce rumen (audio)
plural rumina -mə-nə How to pronounce rumen (audio) or rumens
: the large first compartment of the stomach of a ruminant from which food is regurgitated for rumination and in which cellulose is broken down by the action of symbiotic microorganisms

called also paunch

compare abomasum, omasum, reticulum

More from Merriam-Webster on rumen

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rumen

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