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Glite Dictionary
azygos vein

azygos vein

9.0
A vein on the right chest that carries blood from the chest and belly to the vein above the heart
  • noun
  • /ˈeɪzɪɡoʊs veɪn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : vena ázygos
  • The azygos vein provides an important route for blood to return to the heart if the inferior vena cava is blocked.

Examples

  • An enlarged azygos vein can be detected on a chest X-ray and may indicate circulatory problems.

  • During the surgery, the doctor carefully avoided damaging the azygos vein.

  • The azygos vein plays a crucial role in draining blood.

  • Did you know that the azygos vein is located on the right side?

  • The azygos vein runs alongside the thoracic vertebrae and plays a key role in draining blood from the chest wall.

  • Surgeons will pay close attention to the azygos vein during procedures to avoid complications.

  • An anatomical study showed that the azygos vein is vital for returning blood to the superior vena cava.

Synonyms

azygous vein
vsazygos vein
  • Specialized
7.9

A vein on the right chest near the spine that carries blood to the large vein above the heart

has identical meaning but uses a different spelling form
vena azygos
vsazygos vein
  • Specialized
9.5

A vein that carries blood from the chest and upper belly to the heart

focuses on the vessel's path up the right thoracic vertebral column rather than origin

Antonyms

paired
2.5

Two things that match and go together

Surface Forms

azygos vein singular
azygos veins plural

Morphology

azygos + vein

The phrase is compositionally transparent: 'azygos' means occurring alone/unpaired and 'vein' is a blood vessel, so together they denote an unpaired vein. While the full anatomical details (location and drainage) are specialist knowledge, a learner who knows both constituent meanings can infer the basic concept.

Etymology

Azygos vein comes from an old Greek word: azygos means 'not paired' or 'single', and vein means a blood vessel. The name gives a clear picture: it is the one lone vein on the right side that carries blood from the chest to the heart, so the word helps you remember its role.