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Glite Dictionary
epicardium

epicardium

1 9.8
Thin inner layer of the sac around the heart that covers its surface
  • noun
  • /ˌɛpɪˈkɑrdiəm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : epicardio
  • Epicardium
  • epicardium cells

Examples

  • Understanding the role of the epicardium helps medical students learn about heart anatomy.

  • It is larger in the epicardium and diminishes towards the endocardium.

    Academic text (2016)

  • The outer layer of the heart tissue is called the epicardium.

    Academic text (2015)

  • The epicardium is vital for protecting the heart and maintaining its function.

  • During the surgery, the doctors carefully examined the epicardium for any signs of damage.

Synonyms

pericardium
vsepicardium
  • Specialized
7 8.1

A thin covering of two layers that surrounds and protects the heart

is only that inner covering that lies directly on the heart surface
visceral pericardium
vsepicardium
  • Specialized
7.6

Inner thin layer of the covering around the heart that sticks to the heart's surface

is the alternative technical name for that same inner layer

Surface Forms

epicardium singular
epicardia plural

Morphology

epicardium = epi + cardi + um

Composed of medical combining forms epi- + cardi- + -um meaning roughly 'upon the heart'; the formation is regular but the Greek combining forms and the technical sense make it only partly transparent to an average B1 learner.

Etymology

The word epicardium comes from the Greek parts epi- 'on' and cardium 'heart', and is related to everyday words like cardio and cardiac. So the epicardium is the thin layer that lies 'on' the heart and covers its surface.