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Glite Dictionary
intercostal artery

intercostal artery

1 6.1
A blood vessel that runs between the ribs and gives blood to chest muscles and skin
  • noun
  • /ˌɪntərˈkoʊstəl ˈɑːrtəri/
  • Specialized
translation icon : arteria intercostal
  • Surgeons must be careful not to damage the intercostal arteries during surgery.

Examples

  • The surgeon carefully avoided cutting the intercostal artery during the procedure.

  • The intercostal artery supplies blood to the chest wall.

  • A ruptured intercostal artery can cause bleeding into the chest cavity.

  • Each rib is supplied with blood by an intercostal artery running along its lower edge.

  • The surgeon carefully avoided damaging the intercostal artery during the procedure.

  • When assessing chest injuries, it is important to examine the intercostal artery for any signs of trauma.

  • The intercostal artery supplies blood to the muscles between the ribs, supporting respiratory function.

Synonyms

arteria intercostalis
vsintercostal artery
  • Specialized
8.0

A blood vessel that supplies the muscles between the ribs

supply blood to chest wall muscles and skin rather than only rib spaces

Surface Forms

intercostal artery singular
intercostal arteries plural

Morphology

intercostal + artery

The phrase is fully compositional: 'intercostal' means between the ribs and 'artery' is a blood vessel, so together they literally denote an artery running between the ribs. This follows a simple modifier + noun pattern common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to derive the meaning.

Etymology

Intercostal artery comes from parts that mean 'between' and 'ribs': inter- and costal, while artery means a 'blood vessel'. It names the vessel that runs between the ribs and supplies blood to the chest wall, so it means 'an artery between the ribs'.