arterial

[ ahr-teer-ee-uhl ]

adjective

1. Physiology. pertaining to the blood in the pulmonary vein, in the left side of the heart, and in most arteries, having been oxygenated during its passage through the lungs and being normally bright red.
2. Anatomy. of, relating to, or resembling the arteries.
3. being or constituting a main route, channel, or other course of flow or access, often with many branches:

   an arterial highway; an arterial drainage system.

noun

1. a main route, channel, or other course of flow or access:

   funds to resurface the main arterials of the city.

arterial

/ ɑːˈtɪərɪəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or affecting an artery or arteries

   arterial disease

2. denoting or relating to the usually bright red reoxygenated blood returning from the lungs or gills that circulates in the arteries
3. being a major route, esp one with many minor branches

   an arterial road

Derived Forms

• arˈterially, adverb

Other Words From

• ar·teri·al·ly adverb
• nonar·teri·al adjective
• postar·teri·al adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of arterial¹

1375–1425; late Middle English (< Middle French ) < Medieval Latin artēriālis. See artery, -al ¹

Example Sentences

Some drivers who use the arterial bridge - connecting M25 stretches in Kent and Essex across the River Thames - have told the BBC they have faced account problems and hefty penalties.

From BBC

Adolescents with elevated blood pressure and arterial stiffness may experience poorer cognitive functions, according to a recent Finnish study conducted at the University of Jyväskylä and the University of Eastern Finland.

From Science Daily

Some fires haven’t resulted in deaths, but have elicited enormous response from the fire department and even closed down whole arterial roads, as when a building on Madison caught fire last year.

From Seattle Times

A 2020 report by the Seattle Department of Transportation found that 58% of arterial streets were in fair, poor or very poor condition.

From Seattle Times

In some stretches the north-south arterial is overwhelmed by drugs and despair, in others by concrete emptiness.

From Seattle Times