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Glite Dictionary
vasa vasorum

vasa vasorum

9.9
Small blood vessels that bring blood to the walls of large arteries and veins
  • noun
  • /ˈveɪsə vəˈzoʊrəm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : vasa vasorum
  • Neck dissection may further weaken large vessels by stripping them of the vasa vasorum or by removing overlying soft tissue.

Examples

  • The vasa vasorum play a crucial role in nourishing the walls of large arteries and veins.

  • If the vasa vasorum are damaged, the larger blood vessels may become weakened over time.

  • Surgeons must preserve the vasa vasorum during procedures to maintain the health of the arterial walls.

Surface Forms

vasa vasorum singular
vasa vasorum plural

Morphology

vasa + vasorum

This is a specialized Latin anatomical term rather than a regular English compositional phrase: the second element 'vasorum' is not an English word and its genitive relationship ('of the vessels') requires classical-language knowledge. Even if a learner recognizes 'vasa' as 'vessels', the full meaning ('small vessels that supply larger vessel walls') is not transparently derived by a B1 learner without prior exposure to the Latin morphology or medical terminology.

Etymology

Vasa vasorum literally comes from Latin and means 'vessels of the vessels', with vasa meaning 'vessels' and vasorum meaning 'of the vessels'. These are tiny blood vessels that feed the walls of larger arteries and veins, so the name gives a clear picture of their job.