arterial

1 of 2

adjective

ar·​te·​ri·​al är-ˈtir-ē-əl How to pronounce arterial (audio)
Synonyms of arterialnext
1
a
: of or relating to an artery
b
: relating to or being the bright red blood present in most arteries that has been oxygenated in lungs or gills
2
: of, relating to, or constituting through traffic
arterially
är-ˈtir-ē-ə-lē How to pronounce arterial (audio)
adverb

arterial

2 of 2

noun

: a through street or highway

Synonyms of arterial

Relevance

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of arterial in a Sentence

Noun one of the main arterials connecting the airport with the city
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Recent research has found microplastics in humans, including in the lungs, arterial plaques and brains. — Ryan Brennan may 22, Sacbee.com, 22 May 2026 The arterial roads to the city centre are often clogged before and after games, making access to the stadium difficult. — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 26 May 2026
Noun
Major cities tend to manage the intersections, arterials and urban segments that connect to state highways. — Mark Pittman, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2026 Here’s what the facility, located on a busy arterial crowded with large commercial vehicles, has looked like this week. — David Williams, CNN Money, 29 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for arterial

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, borrowed from Middle French and Medieval Latin; Middle French arterial, borrowed from Medieval Latin artēriālis, from Latin artēria — more at artery + -ālis -al entry 1

Noun

noun derivative of arterial entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1920, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of arterial was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing arterial

Rhymes for arterial

See All Rhymes for arterial

Browse Nearby Words

arteri-
arterial
arterial bulb
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Arterial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arterial. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

arterial

adjective
ar·​te·​ri·​al
är-ˈtir-ē-əl
1
a
: of or relating to an artery
b
: being the bright red oxygen-rich blood present in most arteries
2
: of, relating to, or being routes for through traffic
arterial highways
arterially
-ē-ə-lē
adverb

Medical Definition

arterial

adjective
ar·​te·​ri·​al är-ˈtir-ē-əl How to pronounce arterial (audio)
1
: of or relating to an artery
2
: relating to or being the bright red blood present in most arteries that has been oxygenated in lungs or gills compare venous sense 3
arterially
-ē-ə-lē How to pronounce arterial (audio)
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on arterial

Nglish: Translation of arterial for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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