ventricle

noun

ven·​tri·​cle ˈven-tri-kəl 

: a cavity of a bodily part or organ: such as

a

: a chamber of the heart which receives blood from a corresponding atrium and from which blood is forced into the arteries see heart illustration

b

: any of a system of communicating cavities in the brain that are continuous with the central canal of the spinal cord see brain illustration

Examples of ventricle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Alexis' tribute post comes a few weeks after the family announced that Joel was diagnosed with a brain condition called normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), which is a condition where excess cerebrospinal fluid builds up in the brain ventricles. —Hannah Sacks, People.com, 16 June 2025

Born at only 23 weeks gestation — the edge of viability — the baby girl experienced a hemorrhage within the ventricles of her brain. —ProPublica, 12 June 2025

This fluid circulates through the ventricles of the brain, the central canal of the spinal cord and the subarachnoid space surrounding the brain and spinal cord. —Danielle Wilhour, The Conversation, 28 May 2025

Doctors would introduce a shunt into a ventricle of the brain and pass through to the abdomen so excess fluid can drain into the body and be reabsorbed. —Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Latin ventriculus "belly, stomach, cavity in an organ," from ventr-, venter "belly, womb" + -culus, diminutive suffix (variant of -ulus -ule with nouns of the 3rd, 4th and 5th declensions) — more at venter

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing ventricle

• third ventricle

Rhymes for ventricle

• fickle
• mickle
• nickel
• nickle
• nicol
• pickle
• prickle
• sickle
• tickle
• trickle

Kids Definition

ventricle

noun

ven·​tri·​cle ˈven-tri-kəl 

1

: a chamber of the heart which receives blood from an atrium and from which blood is forced into the arteries

2

: one of the cavities in the brain that are continuous with the central canal of the spinal cord

Medical Definition

ventricle

noun

ven·​tri·​cle ˈven-tri-kəl 

: a cavity of a bodily part or organ: as

a

: a chamber of the heart which receives blood from a corresponding atrium and from which blood is forced into the arteries

b

: one of the system of communicating cavities in the brain that are continuous with the central canal of the spinal cord, that like it are derived from the medullary canal of the embryo, that are lined with an epithelial ependyma, and that contain a serous fluid see lateral ventricle, third ventricle, fourth ventricle

c

: a fossa or pouch on each side of the larynx between the false vocal cords above and the true vocal cords below