bolus

noun

bo·​lus ˈbō-ləs How to pronounce bolus (audio)
plural boluses
1
: a rounded mass: such as
a
: a large pill
b
: a soft mass of chewed food
2
medical
a
: a dose of a substance (such as a drug) given intravenously
b
: a large dose of a substance given by injection for the purpose of rapidly achieving the needed therapeutic concentration in the bloodstream

Examples of bolus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web According to the nonprofit organization Beyond Type 1, bolus insulin is a type of insulin taken to prevent glucose spikes after meals. Brett Molina, USA TODAY, 18 Feb. 2022 His thesis — that identity politics have distracted activists from the central bolus of economic inequality — certainly feels plausible. Becca Rothfeld, Washington Post, 1 Sep. 2023 Even though the biggest bolus of sales are behind, the US fall will still be an important milestone for Moderna. Ike Swetlitz, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Aug. 2023 Tandem Diabetes Care The Minimed 770G artificial pancreas, a hybrid system, manages metabolic insulin dosages—–it modulates the basal rate but does not administer correction boluses. Boris Kovatchev, IEEE Spectrum, 21 Nov. 2021 Applied across the more than 600 gigawatts of wind power capacity installed worldwide, either estimate represents an impressive bolus of clean energy that can be seized with little extra investment. IEEE Spectrum, 14 Mar. 2023 And there was a very small bolus. CBS News, 17 Jan. 2021 Soda or carbonated water bubbles can help break down the food bolus too. Dr. Michael Daignault, USA TODAY, 22 Nov. 2022 The next day, the blood cultures all turned positive quickly, proving that a large bolus of colon bacteria must have burst into her bloodstream. Tony Dajer, Discover Magazine, 11 Feb. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bolus.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin, from Greek bōlos lump

First Known Use

1562, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bolus was in 1562

Dictionary Entries Near bolus

Cite this Entry

“Bolus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bolus. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

bolus

noun
bo·​lus ˈbō-ləs How to pronounce bolus (audio)
plural boluses
1
: a rounded mass: as
a
: a large pill
b
: a soft mass of chewed food
2
a
: a dose of a substance (as a drug) given intravenously
b
: a large dose of a substance given by injection for the purpose of rapidly achieving the needed therapeutic concentration in the bloodstream
the patient receives a bolus dose to reach the minimum effective analgesic concentrationJ. F. Camp
subcutaneous injection of a premeal bolus of fast-acting insulin

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