thoracic duct

1 6.9

A large tube that carries the clear fluid called lymph from most of the body into the blood

noun
/θəˈræsɪk dʌkt/

Specialized

: conducto torácico

The thoracic duct drains lymph from most of the body into the left subclavian vein.

Examples

The thoracic duct is essential for lymphatic drainage.
Can you locate the thoracic duct in this diagram?
Damage to the thoracic duct can result in serious lymphatic leakage.
Surgeons must take care not to injure the thoracic duct during procedures in the chest.
The thoracic duct transports lymph from the lower body back into the bloodstream.
A blockage in the thoracic duct can lead to swelling in the affected areas.
Surgeons repaired the injured thoracic duct during the operation to restore lymphatic flow.

How Big

thoracic duct

Specialized

1 6.9

lymphatic vessel

Specialized

6.7

Surface Forms

thoracic duct singular

thoracic ducts plural

Morphology

thoracic + duct

The parts 'thoracic' (chest-related) and 'duct' (a channel) clearly indicate a channel located in the chest, so a learner who knows both words can infer a bodily channel in the thorax. However, the precise identification as the main lymphatic vessel and its function of carrying lymph into the bloodstream is technical and not predictable from the constituents alone, making the term only partially transparent to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Thoracic duct is a name that tells you where and what it is: thoracic means 'chest' and duct means 'tube'. So it is the main tube in the chest that carries lymph from most of the body into the blood.