ETYM Latin rumen, -inis, the throat.
The first compartment of the stomach of a ruminant; here food is collected and returned to the mouth as cud for chewing; SYN. first stomach.
First stomach of ruminant; cud. 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.