carotid artery

American  

[kuh-raht-id ahr-tuh-ree] / kəˈrɑt ɪd ˈɑr tə ri /

noun

carotid arteries plural

1. Anatomy. either of the two large arteries, one on each side of the head, that carry blood to the head and divide into an external branch (supplying the neck, face, and other external parts), and an internal branch (supplying the brain, eye, and other internal parts).

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carotid artery Scientific  

/ kə-rŏt′ĭd /

1. Either of the two major arteries, one on each side of the neck, that carry blood to the head.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• carotid arterial
  adjective

Inflected Forms

noun

• carotid arteries
  plural

Example Sentences

These signals come from the carotid bodies, small clusters of cells in the neck near the carotid artery that monitor oxygen levels in the blood.

From Science Daily • Mar. 22, 2026

Mr Burgess, who suffered from multiple health conditions including diabetes and carotid artery disease, had been a resident at the home since 2018.

From BBC • May 19, 2025

It involves threading a catheter through the thigh’s femoral artery, behind the heart through the carotid artery and into the skull.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2025

He took Nancy’s hand and helped her onto the exam table, checking for circulatory problems as he felt her lymph nodes and her carotid artery for signs of swelling.

From New York Times • Apr. 8, 2024

Dr. Barnes sits in the chair, his finger on Lincoln’s carotid artery, seeking a pulse.

From "Lincoln's Last Days: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever" by Bill O'Reilly