Question:easy

Which is the largest gland in human body?

Show Hint

It weighs around 1.5 kg, sits under the diaphragm on the right, and secretes bile.
Updated On: Jul 17, 2026
  • Pancreas
  • Liver
  • Thyroid
  • Pituitary
Show Solution

The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

The trick here is to compare the four glands by actual weight, not by how important they sound. A gland is simply an organ that makes and releases a secretion, so size is the only test the question sets.

  1. Pancreas: A mixed gland lying behind the stomach. It sends pancreatic juice into the duodenum and releases insulin and glucagon into the blood. At about 70 to 100 grams it is usually called the second largest gland, which is why it draws so many wrong answers.
  2. Liver: The heaviest gland at roughly 1.4 to 1.5 kilograms in an adult, sitting under the diaphragm on the right side of the abdomen. It secretes bile, so it qualifies as a gland, and it also stores glycogen, makes urea from ammonia and builds plasma proteins. This is the answer.
  3. Thyroid: A butterfly shaped gland in the neck weighing about 25 grams. It makes thyroxine, which sets the pace of metabolism. It is the largest gland that is purely endocrine, but that is a different title from largest gland overall.
  4. Pituitary: About half a gram, tucked into a bony hollow at the base of the brain. It is called the master gland because its hormones drive the thyroid, adrenals and gonads, yet it is the smallest gland in this list.

Ranked by weight the order runs liver, pancreas, thyroid, pituitary, so the liver wins comfortably. It also happens to be the largest internal organ in the body, and it is the only organ that can regrow a large part of itself after damage.

Let us summarize:

  • Largest gland: liver, about 1.4 to 1.5 kg, secretes bile.
  • Second largest: pancreas. Largest purely endocrine gland: thyroid. Master gland: pituitary.
  • Do not confuse master gland with largest gland; the pituitary is the smallest of the four.

So the correct answer is option (B), Liver.

Was this answer helpful?
0


Questions Asked in CLAT exam