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

In the 2026 package, the road improvement proposition alone is just over $511 million with the largest chunk going to expand arterial roads. —Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Apr. 2026

Systolic blood pressure, which measures arterial pressure at the peak of each heartbeat, is considered a primary indicator of heart disease risk. —Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 14 Apr. 2026

Noun

Fewer car lanes, wider sidewalks, faster buses The projects that the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, or DOTI, is planning include overhauls of multiple arterials. —Bruce Finley, Denver Post, 29 Mar. 2026

San Diego’s traffic study shows car traffic volumes have been declining for years and do not merit a four-lane arterial. —Ian Hembree, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 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