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Glite Dictionary
lacrimal artery

lacrimal artery

7.3
A blood vessel that carries blood to the tear gland, upper eyelid, and nearby eye muscles
  • noun
  • /ˈlækrɪməl ˈɑːrtəri/
  • Specialized
translation icon : arteria lagrimal
  • The lacrimal artery supplies blood to the lacrimal gland.

Examples

  • Surgeons must carefully avoid the lacrimal artery during orbital procedures.

  • The lacrimal artery plays a crucial role in providing blood supply to the tear gland.

  • Damage to the lacrimal artery may affect the upper eyelid's function.

  • Surgeons must be careful near the lacrimal artery during procedures.

  • The lacrimal artery provides essential blood flow to the lacrimal gland and surrounding areas.

  • Surgeons aim to preserve the lacrimal artery when conducting operations around the eyes.

  • Knowledge of the lacrimal artery is vital for any ophthalmic surgeon to ensure proper eye function.

Synonyms

arteria lacrimalis
vslacrimal artery
  • Specialized
9.8

A small blood vessel that supplies the tear gland, eye muscles, upper eyelid, and forehead

is the same but given in English rather than Latin form

Surface Forms

lacrimal artery singular
lacrimal arteries plural

Morphology

lacrimal + artery

The compound is directly compositional: 'lacrimal' means related to tears and 'artery' is a blood vessel, so a learner who knows both words can infer it is a blood vessel serving tear-related structures. The precise anatomical details are technical, but the basic referent is predictable from the constituents and corresponds to similar formations in other languages, so it is transparent.

Etymology

Lacrimal artery comes from the old Latin word 'lacrima', which means 'tear', and the word artery means a blood vessel. So the name paints a simple picture: it is the blood vessel that goes to the tear gland and brings blood there.