Words / B2

ay-ORT-uh/eɪˈɔːtə/

The aorta is the main artery that carries blood from the left ventricle to the rest of the body: the aorta; aortic valve. An artery is any vessel from the heart (this batch); vena cava returns to the heart; atrium is a receiving chamber (this batch). Label the aorta on the heart diagram, then the oxygenated flow. Mix-up: aorta vs aura; ora; do not write aorta for a vein in the labelled figure.

Meaning

The main artery that carries blood from the left ventricle to the rest of the body.

Examples

• “Label the aorta on the heart diagram, then the oxygenated flow, the biology paper said.”
• “Aortic stenosis featured in the medical notes, which is the valve sense — still name the chamber it leaves.”

Good to know

the aorta; aortic arch / valve; the descending aorta. Broader: artery (this batch). Contrast: vena cava / pulmonary artery (to the lungs). Trap: aura / a vein. Biology. The body’s main artery from the left ventricle — label the flow.

Near in meaning

main artery, aortic vessel, great vessel

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