āˈȯr]d.ə, -ȯ(ə)], ]tə noun
( plural aortas -əz ; or aor·tae ]ˌtē)
Etymology: New Latin, from Greek aortē, from aeirein, airein to lift, heave; perhaps akin to Albanian vjer I hang up
1. : the chief arterial trunk of the vertebrate body that carries blood from the heart to be distributed to all parts of the body reached by the systemic circulation, being divided in lower vertebrates and embryos of higher forms into an ascending portion arising from the ventricle of the heart and a descending or dorsal portion continuous with the former through the aortic arches but in birds and mammals arising from the left ventricle and continuing over the root of the lung through the single remaining aortic arch then passing posteriorly beside the spinal column to bifurcate into the common iliac arteries after having given off various branches to the head, forelimbs, and trunk
2. : a large dorsal blood vessel in various invertebrates ; especially : the anterior prolongation of the heart of an insect or other arthropod