arteriosclerosis

[ ahr-teer-ee-oh-skluh-roh-sis ]

noun
  1. degenerative changes in the arteries, characterized by thickening of the vessel walls and accumulation of calcium with consequent loss of elasticity and lessened blood flow.

Compare Meanings

Click for a side-by-side comparison of meanings. Use the word comparison feature to learn the differences between similar and commonly confused words.

Origin of arteriosclerosis

1
1885–90; <New Latin. See arterio-, sclerosis

Other words from arteriosclerosis

  • ar·te·ri·o·scle·rot·ic [ahr-teer-ee-oh-skluh-rot-ik], /ɑrˌtɪər i oʊ skləˈrɒt ɪk/, adjective

Words Nearby arteriosclerosis

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use arteriosclerosis in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for arteriosclerosis

arteriosclerosis

/ (ɑːˌtɪərɪəʊsklɪəˈrəʊsɪs) /


nounplural -ses (-siːz)
  1. a pathological condition of the circulatory system characterized by thickening and loss of elasticity of the arterial walls: Nontechnical name: hardening of the arteries

Derived forms of arteriosclerosis

  • arteriosclerotic (ɑːˌtɪərɪəʊsklɪəˈrɒtɪk), adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for arteriosclerosis

arteriosclerosis

[ är-tîr′ē-ō-sklə-rōsĭs ]


  1. A thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity of the arterial walls that results in impaired blood circulation. See also atherosclerosis.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for arteriosclerosis

arteriosclerosis

[ (ahr-teer-ee-oh-skluh-roh-sis) ]


A disease commonly called hardening of the arteries. In arteriosclerosis, the walls of the arteries thicken and harden. The loss of flexibility results in a lessening of the flow of blood to the various organs of the body. (Compare atherosclerosis; see circulatory system.)

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.