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Anatomy & Physiology vocabulary · Heart, Circulation and Breathing

Artery

Meaning in anatomy & physiology, with examples

/ˈɑːrtəri/nounCore term

In anatomy & physiology, artery means: A blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart. Most arteries carry oxygen-rich blood; the pulmonary arteries are the exception, taking blood low in oxygen to the lungs.

In Turkish: atardamar, arter

How it is used

Arteries have thick, elastic walls because the blood inside them is under high pressure. You feel a pulse over an artery, such as the radial artery at the wrist. The adjective is arterial, as in arterial blood gas.

Example sentences

  1. The aorta is the largest artery in the body.

  2. You can feel the pulse of the radial artery on the thumb side of the wrist.

Common collocations

  • coronary artery
  • pulmonary artery
  • radial artery
  • arterial blood
  • arterial wall
  • veinA blood vessel that carries blood back toward the heart. Most veins carry blood that is low in oxygen; the pulmonary veins are the exception, bringing oxygen-rich blood from the lungs.
  • capillaryThe smallest type of blood vessel, with a wall only one cell thick. Capillaries connect arteries to veins, and oxygen, nutrients and waste pass through their walls to and from the tissues.
  • heartThe muscular organ in the chest that pumps blood around the body. It has four chambers: two atria that receive blood and two ventricles that pump it out.
  • blood pressureThe force that circulating blood puts on the walls of the arteries. It is given as two numbers, systolic over diastolic, in millimeters of mercury (mmHg), for example 120/80.

More terms: Heart, Circulation and Breathing

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.