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Glite Dictionary
azygos vein

azygos vein

1 9.0
A vein on the right chest that carries blood from the chest and belly to the vein above the heart
  • noun
  • /ˈeɪzɪɡoʊs veɪn/
  • Specialized
: vena ázygos
  • The azygos vein provides an important route for blood to return to the heart if the inferior vena cava is blocked.

Examples

  • An enlarged azygos vein can be detected on a chest X-ray and may indicate circulatory problems.

  • During the surgery, the doctor carefully avoided damaging the azygos vein.

  • The azygos vein plays a crucial role in draining blood.

  • Did you know that the azygos vein is located on the right side?

  • The azygos vein runs alongside the thoracic vertebrae and plays a key role in draining blood from the chest wall.

  • Surgeons will pay close attention to the azygos vein during procedures to avoid complications.

  • An anatomical study showed that the azygos vein is vital for returning blood to the superior vena cava.

Synonyms

azygous vein
vsazygos vein
  • Specialized
7.9

A vein on the right chest near the spine that carries blood to the large vein above the heart

has identical meaning but uses a different spelling form
vena azygos
vsazygos vein
  • Specialized
9.5

A vein that carries blood from the chest and upper belly to the heart

focuses on the vessel's path up the right thoracic vertebral column rather than origin

Antonyms

paired
6 2.5

Two things that match and go together

Surface Forms

azygos vein singular
azygos veins plural

Morphology

azygos + vein

The phrase is compositionally transparent: 'azygos' means occurring alone/unpaired and 'vein' is a blood vessel, so together they denote an unpaired vein. While the full anatomical details (location and drainage) are specialist knowledge, a learner who knows both constituent meanings can infer the basic concept.

Etymology

Azygos vein comes from an old Greek word: azygos means 'not paired' or 'single', and vein means a blood vessel. The name gives a clear picture: it is the one lone vein on the right side that carries blood from the chest to the heart, so the word helps you remember its role.