arterial

1 of 2

adjective

ar·​te·​ri·​al är-ˈtir-ē-əl How to pronounce arterial (audio)
1
a
: of or relating to an artery
b
: relating to or being the bright red blood present in most arteries that has been oxygenated in lungs or gills
2
: of, relating to, or constituting through traffic
arterially adverb

arterial

2 of 2

noun

: a through street or highway

Examples of arterial in a Sentence

Noun one of the main arterials connecting the airport with the city
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
In 2021, an analysis by the Idaho Policy Institute of crashes in Boise from 2005 to 2020 found that around 40% of all crashes occurred on arterial roads, like Ustick Road and Cloverdale Road, while over half took place at intersections. Sarah A. Miller, Idaho Statesman, 21 May 2024 Moreover, the information provided frequently led to actionable insights—in one case, prompting clinicians to prescribe anti-platelet drugs when hidden clots were discovered; in another, aiding in the proper placement of stents that were not flush against the arterial wall. IEEE Spectrum, 15 May 2024
Noun
Supervised exercise, often prescribed to patients at risk for peripheral arterial disease, requires a $10 to $20 copay each for a dozen visits to a rehabilitation center that might be an hour's drive away. Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2024 All vehicles parked on side streets must be on the odd-numbered side of the street by 10 p.m. To look up arterials visit milwaukee.gov/parkingregulations. Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 12 Jan. 2024 See all Example Sentences for arterial 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'arterial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, borrowed from Middle French and Medieval Latin; Middle French arterial, borrowed from Medieval Latin artēriālis, from Latin artēria — more at artery + -ālis -al entry 1

Noun

noun derivative of arterial entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1920, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of arterial was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near arterial

Cite this Entry

“Arterial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arterial. Accessed 6 Jun. 2024.

Kids Definition

arterial

adjective
ar·​te·​ri·​al
är-ˈtir-ē-əl
1
a
: of or relating to an artery
b
: being the bright red oxygen-rich blood present in most arteries
2
: of, relating to, or being routes for through traffic
arterial highways
arterially
-ē-ə-lē
adverb

Medical Definition

arterial

adjective
ar·​te·​ri·​al är-ˈtir-ē-əl How to pronounce arterial (audio)
1
: of or relating to an artery
2
: relating to or being the bright red blood present in most arteries that has been oxygenated in lungs or gills compare venous sense 3
arterially adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on arterial

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!