aorta
nounUK /eɪˈɔːtə/ · US /eɪˈɔɹtə/
Etymology Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀορτή (aortḗ, “the arteries springing from the heart”), from ἀορτέω (aortéō), lengthened form of ἀείρω (aeírō, “to lift, raise”).
2
Figuratively The liveliest part of something.
- Tracing their battles, I had many occasions to walk along Second Avenue, the aorta of the Lower East Side, exploring places that were once as vibrant and tumultuous as Midtown Manhattan.2007 January 26, Stefan Kanfer, “In Lower Manhattan, the Echo of the Yiddish Stage Endures”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 31 Mar 2019:
- Derived terms
- abdominal aorta, aortal, aortic, aortitis, aortography, aortoplasty, aortorrhaphy, arch of the aorta, porcelain aorta, thoracic aorta
- Coordinate terms
- circulatory system