pericardium

noun

peri·​car·​di·​um ˌper-ə-ˈkär-dē-əm How to pronounce pericardium (audio)
plural pericardia ˌper-ə-ˈkär-dē-ə How to pronounce pericardium (audio)
1
: the conical sac of serous membrane that encloses the heart and the roots of the great blood vessels of vertebrates
2
: a cavity or space that contains the heart of an invertebrate and in arthropods is a part of the hemocoel

Examples of pericardium in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Cancer may also be found in the bronchus, pleura, diaphragm, chest wall, breastbone, backbone, phrenic nerve, pericardium, vena cava, aorta, pharynx, trachea, esophagus, and/or carina (the area where the trachea branches into the bronchi). Lynne Eldridge, Verywell Health, 15 Aug. 2023 The pericardium is the heart’s edge, its limit, its reminder to not go beyond its size. Heather Lanier, Longreads, 10 Jan. 2023 Anastrozole can cause heart problems, but these are usually related to the blood vessels of the heart, not the heart muscle or the pericardium. Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 26 Jan. 2023 Jesus’s heart, in other words, couldn’t be contained by his pericardium. Heather Lanier, Longreads, 10 Jan. 2023 Chest pain occurs when the swollen and irritated layers of the pericardium rub against each other. Addison Aloian, Women's Health, 6 Mar. 2023 While suffering the effects of an inflamed pericardium, Nuis posted a hospital-bed photo on Instagram, next to one of him recovered and chilling topless at training camp. Matt Sullivan, Rolling Stone, 22 Jan. 2022 The pericardium--the thin membrane that forms a sac around the heart--helps hold the fist-sized muscle in place, and keeps it from overexpanding. Discover Magazine, 29 June 2010 In extreme cases the entire pericardium needs to be removed in a procedure called a pericardiectomy, often advised when the sac becomes completely rigid. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 6 Feb. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pericardium.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Medieval Latin, from Greek perikardion, neuter of perikardios around the heart, from peri- + kardia heart — more at heart

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Dictionary Entries Near pericardium

Cite this Entry

“Pericardium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pericardium. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pericardium

noun
peri·​car·​di·​um ˌper-ə-ˈkärd-ē-əm How to pronounce pericardium (audio)
plural pericardia -ē-ə How to pronounce pericardium (audio)
: the cone-shaped structure of membrane that encloses the vertebrate heart and the nearby parts of the large arteries and veins leading to or away from it
pericardial
-ē-əl
adjective

Medical Definition

pericardium

noun
peri·​car·​di·​um ˌper-ə-ˈkärd-ē-əm How to pronounce pericardium (audio)
plural pericardia -ē-ə How to pronounce pericardium (audio)
: the conical sac of serous membrane that encloses the heart and the roots of the great blood vessels of vertebrates and consists of an outer fibrous coat that loosely invests the heart and is prolonged on the outer surface of the great vessels except the inferior vena cava and a double inner serous coat of which one layer is closely adherent to the heart while the other lines the inner surface of the outer coat with the intervening space being filled with pericardial fluid

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