n.
Pronunciation: ' är-t ə -r ē , ' är-tr ē
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -ter · ies
Etymology: Middle English arterie, from Latin arteria, from Greek art ē ria; akin to Greek aort ē aorta
Date: 14th century
1 : any of the tubular branching muscular- and elastic-walled vessels that carry blood from the heart through the body
2 : a channel (as a river or highway) of transportation or communication especially : the main channel in a branching system