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Glite Dictionary
circumflex artery

circumflex artery

6.8
A blood vessel that curves around a body part, especially the heart
  • noun
  • /ˈsɜrkəmˌflɛks ˈɑrtəri/
  • Specialized
translation icon : arteria circunfleja
  • Blockage of the left circumflex artery can result in a heart attack.

Examples

  • During the operation, the surgeon carefully avoided damaging the circumflex artery.

  • Anatomy students must memorize the path of the circumflex artery around the heart.

  • The circumflex artery supplies blood to the shoulder area.

  • Surgeons often examine the circumflex arteries during heart procedures.

  • Anatomy students must memorize the path of the circumflex artery around the heart.

  • Blockage of the left circumflex artery can result in a heart attack.

  • During the operation, the surgeon carefully avoided damaging the circumflex artery.

Surface Forms

circumflex artery singular
circumflex arteries plural

Morphology

circumflex + artery

The meaning is directly compositional: 'circumflex' (literally 'bent/curved around' from circum- + flex) modifies 'artery' (a blood vessel), so a learner who knows the constituent words can infer an artery that follows a curved path. Although 'circumflex' is technical/Latin-derived, the adjective + noun structure and the clear spatial sense make the overall meaning predictable for learners who know the parts.

Etymology

Circumflex artery gets its name from old words: circum meaning 'around' and flex meaning 'bend'. It pictures a blood vessel that bends or curves around a body part, so the name is used for arteries that go around the heart or shoulder.