noun
Etymology: translation of French artère mésentérique
: an artery passing between the two layers of the mesentery to the intestine ; specifically : either a superior artery in man arising from the upper part of the aorta and distributed to the greater part of the small intestine, the cecum, and the colon or an inferior artery in man arising near the lower end of the aorta and distributed to the remainder of the large intestine