anterior cerebral artery

7.2

A blood vessel on each side that carries blood to the front part of the brain

noun
/ænˈtɪr.i.ər ˈsɛr.ə.brəl ˈɑːr.tər.i/

Specialized

: arteria cerebral anterior

The anterior cerebral artery supplies blood to the frontal lobe.

Examples

Damage to the anterior cerebral artery can affect movement and sensation in the legs.
Neurosurgeons must carefully navigate around the anterior cerebral artery during brain surgery.
A blockage in the anterior cerebral artery may lead to a specific type of stroke.
Both anterior cerebral arteries are essential for brain function.
A blockage in the anterior cerebral artery may lead to a specific type of stroke.
Damage to the anterior cerebral artery can affect movement and sensation in the legs.
Neurosurgeons must carefully navigate around the anterior cerebral artery during brain surgery.

Surface Forms

anterior cerebral artery singular

anterior cerebral arteries plural

Morphology

anterior + cerebral + artery

The compound is directly built from 'anterior' (toward the front) + 'cerebral' (of the brain) + 'artery' (a blood vessel), so its meaning — an artery at the front part of the brain — is transparent to a learner who knows the constituents. Although it is technical medical terminology, the compositional pattern is regular and cross-linguistically similar, allowing a B1 learner to grasp the general sense.

Etymology

Anterior cerebral artery comes from simple parts: anterior means 'front', cerebral means 'of the brain', and artery means a 'blood vessel'. So the name gives the clear image of a blood vessel at the front of the brain that carries blood to those front brain areas.