ἀρτηρία

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See also: αρτηρία

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

Etymology

Supposed contraction of *ᾰ̓ορτηρῐ́ᾱ (*aortēríā) (cf. ᾰ̓ορτήρ (aortḗr)), from ᾰ̓είρω (aeírō, to bind, hang up).[1]

It was assumed that all blood vessels transported both blood and πνεῦμα (pneûma, breathe, spirit), in a similar way as how the latter is transported through the τραχεῖα ἀρτηρία (trakheîa artēría, literally rough artery).[2] This might explain why windpipe and artery share the same name.

Pronunciation

 

Noun

ᾰ̓ρτηρῐ́ᾱ (artēríāf (genitive ᾰ̓ρτηρῐ́ᾱς); first declension

  1. (anatomy)
    1. windpipe, trachea
      Synonyms: τραχεῖα ἀρτηρία (trakheîa artēría), βρόγχος (brónkhos), γαργαρεών (gargareṓn)
    2. artery (as distinct from a vein)
    3. aorta
      Synonym: ᾰ̓ορτή (aortḗ)
    4. (in the plural) ureters
    5. (in the plural) bronchi
      Synonym: βρόγχια (brónkhia)
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Inflection

Derived terms

Descendants

  • Latin: artēria (see there for further descendants)
  • Russian: арте́рия (artérija)

References

  1. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “ἀρτηρία”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), volume I, with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 143
  2. ^ Farnebo, Lars-Ove (2023-06-02), chapter 4, in On the Greek Physician Praxagoras from Kos and the Development of Medicαl Thinking in Antiquity (Thesis), Lund University, pages 8-9, 20, 48-49

Further reading