noun
artery
AH-tuh-ree
noun
1
A blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart.
"A blocked artery can lead to a heart attack."
2
A major route that carries a lot of traffic, such as a busy road or rail line.
"The motorway is the main artery connecting the two cities."
How to Use Artery
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA major blood vessel — or, by comparison, a main route that carries heavy traffic or transport.
Common pairings
clogged artery
main artery
coronary artery
Word Forms
arteries plural
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A blocked _____ can lead to a heart attack.
Etymology
From Old French artaire, from Latin arteria, from Greek arteria, originally meaning "windpipe" as well as "artery."