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

Researchers tracked sleep with a wearable device and measured blood pressure, blood oxygen, arterial stiffness and surface temperature before and after. — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2026

The Interstate 215 corridor is the arterial mainline of California affordable housing, bristling with so many expanding housing developments that demand is outpacing what’s available in the traditional insurance market. — Paige St. John, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026

Noun

Washington is one of three major arterial east-west roadways connecting Waukegan with much of Lake County, according to the documents. — Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026

David Daniel, 43, who lives in Silver Springs, was fishing off Boca Grande Key, about 14 miles west of Key West, when the shark bit him on the foot, causing a serious arterial bleed, his friend Robyn Corliss wrote in the GoFundMe post. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 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