arterial

1 of 2

adjective

ar·​te·​ri·​al är-ˈtir-ē-əl 

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 

adverb

arterial

2 of 2

noun

: a through street or highway

Synonyms of arterial

Noun

• highway
• road
• thoroughfare
• street
• artery
• freeway
• route
• expressway
• carriageway
• roadway
• boulevard
• turnpike

Examples of arterial in a Sentence

Noun

one of the main arterials connecting the airport with the city

Recent Examples on the Web

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

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

Phrases Containing arterial

• intra-arterial

Rhymes for arterial

• cereal
• virial
• antibacterial
• biomaterial
• mycobacterial
• bacterial
• ethereal
• funereal
• imperial
• material
• sidereal
• venereal

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 

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 

adverb