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common iliac artery

common iliac artery

1 4.6
A large blood vessel from the main vessel in the belly that sends blood to the hips and legs
  • noun
  • /ˈkɑːmən ˈɪliæk ˈɑːrtəri/
  • Specialized
translation icon : arteria ilíaca común
  • The surgeon carefully located the common iliac artery before proceeding with the operation.

Examples

  • During anatomy class, we traced the path of the common iliac artery from the aorta.

  • The common iliac artery branches from the abdominal aorta.

  • Blockage in the common iliac artery can restrict blood flow to the lower limbs.

  • Surgeons often examine the common iliac arteries during vascular procedures.

  • The surgeon discovered a blockage in the patient's common iliac artery during the procedure.

  • Blood flows from the abdominal aorta into the common iliac arteries to supply the lower body.

  • In cases of vascular disease, the common iliac artery may become narrowed, leading to reduced blood flow.

Synonyms

iliac artery
vscommon iliac artery
  • Specialized
1 5.1

One of two large blood vessels in the lower belly that carries blood to the pelvis and legs

uses a more clinical phrase for the lower body than everyday wording
arteria iliaca
vscommon iliac artery
  • Specialized
9.9

One of two large blood vessels in the pelvis that carry blood to the legs and pelvic organs

uses a general description of origin rather than a technical splitting term

Surface Forms

Morphology

common + iliac + artery

If a learner knows 'iliac' (relating to the pelvic/ilium) and 'artery' (a blood vessel), the phrase clearly denotes an artery in the pelvic region; 'common' signals the main/shared trunk form, so the overall medical referent is compositionally predictable. Anatomical naming follows transparent modifier + noun patterns and is cross-linguistically regular, so a learner who knows the constituents would grasp the meaning.

Etymology

The noun common iliac artery is named for what it is: common means 'main', iliac refers to the hip area, and artery means 'blood vessel'. It is the main vessel that runs beside the hip and then splits to supply the pelvis and legs, so the name shows where it is and what it does.