mediastinum

[ mee-dee-a-stahy-nuhm ]

noun,plural me·di·as·ti·na [mee-dee-a-stahy-nuh]. /ˌmi di æˈstaɪ nə/. Anatomy.
  1. a median septum or partition between two parts of an organ, or paired cavities of the body.

  2. the partition separating the right and left thoracic cavities, formed of the two inner pleural walls, and, in humans, comprising all the viscera of the thorax except the lungs.

Origin of mediastinum

1
1535–45; <New Latin; compare mediastīnus of middle class, apparently identical with Latin mediast(r)īnus a low-ranking slave, perhaps derivative of mediusmid1, though sense and formation unclear

Other words from mediastinum

  • me·di·as·ti·nal, adjective

Words Nearby mediastinum

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British Dictionary definitions for mediastinum

mediastinum

/ (ˌmiːdɪəˈstaɪnəm) /


nounplural -na (-nə) anatomy
  1. a membrane between two parts of an organ or cavity such as the pleural tissue between the two lungs

  2. the part of the thoracic cavity that lies between the lungs, containing the heart, trachea, etc

Origin of mediastinum

1
C16: from medical Latin, neuter of Medieval Latin mediastīnus median, from Latin: low grade of servant, from medius mean

Derived forms of mediastinum

  • mediastinal, adjective

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