ciliary artery
- noun
- /ˈsɪl.i.ɛr.i ˈɑːr.t̬ɪ/
- Specialized
- Damage to a ciliary artery can impair vision by reducing blood flow to the choroid.
Examples
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Surgeons must be careful not to damage the ciliary artery during procedures.
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The ophthalmologist examined the ciliary artery for signs of disease during the eye surgery.
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Inflammation involving a ciliary artery may lead to severe ocular discomfort and visual disturbances.
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The ciliary artery plays a crucial role in eye health.
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The ophthalmologist examined the ciliary artery for signs of disease during the eye surgery.
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Damage to a ciliary artery can impair vision by reducing blood flow to the choroid.
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Surgeons must be careful not to damage the ciliary artery during procedures.
Synonyms
A blood vessel that supplies blood to the layer at the back of the eye
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun phrase is a straightforward composition of 'ciliary' (relating to the ciliary body of the eye) + 'artery' (a blood vessel), so the meaning — an artery associated with the ciliary/eye structures — follows directly from the constituents. The adjective+noun structure and equivalent formations in many languages (e.g., Spanish 'arteria ciliar') make the relation predictable for a learner who already knows both words, even though the term is specialized.
Etymology
Ciliary artery comes from an old word for 'eyelash'; ciliary points to the area near the lashes and artery means 'blood vessel'. So ciliary arteries are the small vessels that bring blood to parts of the eye.