auricular appendix
- noun
- /ɔːˈrɪkjələr əˈpɛndɪks/
- Specialized
:
apéndice auricular
- Blood clots can occasionally form in the left auricular appendix in patients with atrial fibrillation.
Examples
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The auricular appendix is sometimes referred to as the atrial appendage in medical literature.
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Surgical removal of the auricular appendix may be necessary in cases of severe infection.
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The auricular appendix plays a role in heart function.
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Many studies focus on the auricular appendices in cardiac research.
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Blood clots can occasionally form in the left auricular appendix in patients with atrial fibrillation.
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Surgical removal of the auricular appendix may be necessary in cases of severe infection.
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The auricular appendix is sometimes referred to as the atrial appendage in medical literature.
Synonyms
1
8.9
A small pouch on the upper front part of the heart that helps hold extra blood
A small ear-shaped pouch on the upper chamber of the heart
A small ear-shaped pouch on the upper front part of each heart chamber
A small pouch that sticks out from the upper front part of a heart chamber called an atrium
A small ear-shaped pouch that sticks out from each upper chamber of the heart
Surface Forms
Morphology
auricular + appendix
The meaning is directly compositional: 'auricular' relates to the auricle/atrium of the heart and 'appendix' denotes a small projecting part or appendage, so a learner who knows both senses can infer a small pouch on the atrium. Although technical/medical, the word-formation follows a transparent nominal compound pattern found across languages (e.g. Spanish apéndice auricular), so the sense is predictable from the parts.
Etymology
Auricular appendix comes from Latin words: auricular means 'little ear' because the pouch looks like a small ear, and appendix means 'a small part attached'. So the name describes the ear-shaped pouch that sticks out from the upper front of each atrium of the heart.