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

Prosecutors allege Malek posed as a medical doctor to diagnose patients with arterial disease and recommend atherectomies, even though the patients did not have the condition. — Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026

According to the district attorney's office, the charges come after multiple accidents, including one that left an 11-year-old with a broken collarbone and an arterial bleed and another in which a 13-year-old died after crashing into a light pole. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026

Noun

Routine mammograms can show breast arterial calcifications (BACs), which are calcium deposits in the vessels of the breast. — Ava Tsapatsaris, ABC News, 1 Oct. 2026

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

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