aorta

[ ey-awr-tuh ]

noun

, Anatomy.

, plural a·or·tas, a·or·tae [ey-, awr, -tee].

1. the main trunk of the arterial system, conveying blood from the left ventricle of the heart to all of the body except the lungs.

aorta

/ eɪˈɔːtə /

noun

1. the main vessel in the arterial network, which conveys oxygen-rich blood from the heart to all parts of the body except the lungs

aorta

/ ā-ôr′tə /

, Plural aortas ā-ôr′tē

1. The main artery of the circulatory system, arising from the left ventricle of the heart in mammals and birds and carrying blood with high levels of oxygen to all the arteries of the body except those of the lungs.

aorta

1. The main blood vessel of the body; it carries blood from the left side of the heart to other arteries throughout the body. ( See circulatory system .)

Derived Forms

• aˈortic, adjective

Other Words From

• a·ortic a·ortal adjective
• posta·ortic adjective
• prea·ortic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of aorta¹

1570–80; < Medieval Latin < Greek aortḗ the great artery, literally, something hung, carried; akin to aeírein to lift, carry

Word History and Origins

Origin of aorta¹

C16: from New Latin, from Greek aortē, literally: something lifted, from aeirein to raise

Example Sentences

The cause was a torn aorta, said his daughter Susannah Lannoy.

From Washington Post

The blade pierced his liver and diaphragm, missing his heart and aorta by a fraction of an inch.

From The Daily Beast

That blade had gone through, and the X-rays revealed that the tip of the blade was on the edge of my aorta, the main artery.

From The Daily Beast

His aorta and amygdala do not receive this information by automatic transfer.

From The Daily Beast

The closer the tear occurs to the root of the aorta, where it emerges from the heart, the more dangerous it can be.

From The Daily Beast

The largest artery, the aorta arches up from the heart, carrying blood throughout the body.

From The Daily Beast

Firstly, the womb communicates with the heart by the mediation of those arteries which come from the aorta.

From Project Gutenberg

The branches which set off at X, X, are those by which the intestines are supplied by vessels from the aorta.

From Project Gutenberg

With one throb, the blood is sent from the right ventricle into the lungs, and from the left ventricle into the aorta.

From Project Gutenberg

The heart has a pair of venous ostia, often blending into one, and an anterior arterial aorta.

From Project Gutenberg

At this part opposite the level of the dorsal aorta the two sheets, viz.

From Project Gutenberg