Bilis

Bilis is a term with multiple meanings in different languages and disciplines. In medical and anatomical contexts, bilis is the Latin noun for bile, the digestive fluid produced by the liver. The combining forms bili- and bil/i- appear in English medical terms such as bilirubin, bilirubinogen, biliary, and biliary tract.

Bile is produced by hepatocytes in the liver, stored in the gallbladder, and released into the small intestine via the biliary tract in response to meals. Its primary role is emulsification of fats, aiding digestion, while also delivering waste products for elimination. Bile contains bile acids (which aid digestion), cholesterol, phospholipids, and bilirubin, a breakdown product of hemoglobin.

Linguistic notes: Outside scientific usage, bilis is a common word in several languages meaning speed or quickness, notably in Malay and Indonesian, and in Filipino languages such as Tagalog. In these contexts, the term is unrelated to the anatomical concept of bile. The Latin origin of the medical term remains distinct from its everyday usage in other languages.

In English medical terminology, the prefix bili- or bili- reflects its Latin origin. Terms include biliary tract, biliary calculus, and bilirubin. The concept of bilis in biology and medicine is therefore separate from its colloquial meanings in languages where it denotes speed, illustrating how the same string of letters can carry different senses across contexts.