em·bo·lus
ˈem-bə-ləs 
plural emboli
ˈem-bə-ˌlī
: an abnormal particle (such as an air bubble) circulating in the blood compare thrombus
variants
or emboli-
or embolo-
1
: embolus
embolectomy
emboliform
2
: wedge
Embolomeri
Examples of embolus in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Arthur L. Kellermann, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025
Recent scans revealed significant disease progression including fibrosis in the lungs as well as several emboli.
—Rayna Reid Rayford, Essence, 26 Sep. 2023
It was stated that this embolus could possibly dislodge, travel to my brain and cause a stroke.
—Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 17 July 2023
When a blood vessel is blocked by an embolus, it’s called an embolism, according to Johns Hopkins.
—Daryl Perry, USA TODAY, 29 Sep. 2022
An autopsy indicated that the cause of her recent death was cardiopulmonary arrest due a large pulmonary embolus or, in layman's terms, a blood clot.
—Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 13 Apr. 2012
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Noun
Long spells of sitting in airports and on airplanes is a common story among patients who come to the ER with one or more clots in their legs — or worse, evidence that a clot has broken free and traveled through the bloodstream to lodge in the lungs, a serious condition called a pulmonary embolus.
—Arthur L. Kellermann, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025
Recent scans revealed significant disease progression including fibrosis in the lungs as well as several emboli.
—Rayna Reid Rayford, Essence, 26 Sep. 2023
It was stated that this embolus could possibly dislodge, travel to my brain and cause a stroke.
—Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 17 July 2023
When a blood vessel is blocked by an embolus, it’s called an embolism, according to Johns Hopkins.
—Daryl Perry, USA TODAY, 29 Sep. 2022
An autopsy indicated that the cause of her recent death was cardiopulmonary arrest due a large pulmonary embolus or, in layman's terms, a blood clot.
—Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 13 Apr. 2012
Cite this Entry
“Embolus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/embolus. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
embolus
noun
em·bo·lus
ˈem-bə-ləs
plural emboli
-ˌlī
: an abnormal particle (as an air bubble) circulating in the blood compare thrombus
Medical Definition
embolus
noun
em·bo·lus
ˈem-bə-ləs
plural emboli
-ˌlī
: an abnormal particle (as an air bubble) circulating in the blood compare thrombus
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