arterial

American  

[ahr-teer-ee-uhl] / ɑrˈtɪər i əl /

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.

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noun

arterials plural

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

   funds to resurface the main arterials of the city.

arterial British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonarterial
  adjective
• postarterial
  adjective
• arterially
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• arterials
  plural

Etymology

Origin of arterial

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

Example Sentences

The chosen location was not a stadium, but an urban setting ideal for spreading a visible, continuous wave: the emblematic Paseo de la Reforma, an iconic arterial road inspired by European boulevards.

From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026

The report simply stated there is “no arterial obstruction or structural abnormalities” in the heart or major blood vessels, which could simply mean there isn’t a blockage, physicians said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026

One good test, she says, looks for an enzyme called myeloperoxidase, which can indicate arterial inflammation.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

In rat models, they found proof of concept that the approach could be useful for traumatic brain injury and pulmonary arterial hypertension.

From Science Daily • May 5, 2026

Here the sidewalks were shot through with arterial cracks and studded with menacing weeds that had evolved to survive torrential rain and the lack of pollinators.

From "The Marrow Thieves" by Cherie Dimaline