aorta
/eɪˈɔːtə
/noun
The main artery of the body, supplying oxygenated blood to the circulatory system. In humans it passes over the heart from the left ventricle and runs down in front of the backbone.At this time, the surgeon begins to develop a dissection plane between the aorta and the pulmonary artery....
- In an embryo, the aorta and the pulmonary artery are initially a single vessel.
- The pump device works by assisting the function of the left ventricle, improving blood supply to the aorta and so to the rest of the body.
Origin
Mid 16th century: from Greek aortē (used in the plural by Hippocrates for the branches of the windpipe, and by Aristotle for the great artery), from aeirein 'raise'.
artery from Late Middle English:
This comes via Latin from Greek artēria, probably from aeirein ‘raise’. Arteries were popularly thought by the ancients (who thought the word was from Greek aēr ‘air’) to be air ducts as they do not contain blood after death. Medieval writers thought they contained an ethereal fluid distinct from that of the veins: this was referred to as spiritual blood or vital spirits. Aorta (mid 16th century) also comes from aeirein. It was used by Hippocrates for the branches of the windpipe, and by Aristotle for the great artery.