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Anatomy & Physiology vocabulary · Heart, Circulation and Breathing

Atrium

Meaning in anatomy & physiology, with examples

/ˈeɪtriəm/nounCommon term

In anatomy & physiology, atrium means: One of the two upper chambers of the heart that receive blood: the right atrium from the veins of the body and the left atrium from the lungs. Each passes blood down to its ventricle.

In Turkish: atriyum, kulakçık

How it is used

The plural is atria. The heart's natural pacemaker, the sinoatrial (SA) node, lies in the wall of the right atrium. The adjective is atrial, as in atrial fibrillation and atrial septum.

Example sentences

  1. Blood from the lungs enters the left atrium through the pulmonary veins.

  2. The atria contract just before the ventricles.

Common collocations

  • right atrium
  • left atrium
  • atrial wall
  • atrial fibrillation
  • ventricleOne of the two lower chambers of the heart that pump blood out: the right ventricle sends blood to the lungs and the left ventricle sends it to the rest of the body.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • cardiac cycleThe sequence of events in one heartbeat: contraction (systole) and relaxation (diastole) of the atria and ventricles, with the heart valves opening and closing in turn.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Heart, Circulation and Breathing

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