pericardium

[per-i-kahr-dee-uhm]

noun

Anatomy.

plural

pericardia 

1. the membranous sac enclosing the heart.

pericardium

/ ˌpɛrɪˈkɑːdɪəm /

noun

1. the membranous sac enclosing the heart

pericardium

plural

pericardia 

1. The membrane sac that encloses the heart in vertebrate animals.

Other Word Forms

• pericardial adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pericardium¹

1570–80; < New Latin < Greek perikárdion, noun use of neuter of perikárdios surrounding the heart, equivalent to peri- peri- + kardios, adj. derivative of kardía heart; -cardium

Word History and Origins

Origin of pericardium¹

C16: via New Latin from Greek perikardion, from _peri- + kardia heart

Example Sentences

The court went on to hear that Mrs Parveen lost consciousness as soon as the needle was inserted and pierced her pericardium, also known as the heart sac, causing massive internal bleeding.

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Mamman, using the wrong biopsy needle, missed the bone and pierced her pericardium, the sac containing the heart, causing massive internal bleeding.

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The surgery involved removing the pericardium, the statement said.

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An ultrasound of the heart showed that he had some fluid in the sac called the pericardium, which contains and protects the heart, but not enough to interfere with how well it was beating.

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He said to the microphone, “There are three lacerations in the pericardium, which is filled with clotted and liquefied blood.”

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