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branchial arch

noun
  1. Zoology. one of a series of bony or cartilaginous arches on each side of the pharynx that support the gills of fishes and aquatic amphibians; gill bar.
  2. Embryology. one of a series of archlike mesodermal thickenings of the body wall in the pharyngeal region of the embryo of amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
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Origin of branchial arch

First recorded in 1870–75
Also called gill arch, visceral arch.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
branchial arch in Medicine

branchial arch

n.
  1. Any of usually six embryonic arches that give rise to specialized structures in the head and neck in the higher vertebrates.gill arch pharyngeal arch visceral arch
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.