Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Either of the two major arteries, one on each side of the neck, that carry blood to the head.
  • adjective Of or relating to either of these arteries.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The principal artery of the neck of the higher vertebrates.
  • Of or pertaining to the two great arteries of the neck: as, the carotid canal. Also carotic.
  • The large deep petrosal nerve.
  • The sympathetic nerve running up along the internal carotid artery from the first cervical ganglion.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Anat.) One of the two main arteries of the neck, by which blood is conveyed from the aorta to the head. [See Illust. of aorta.]
  • adjective (Anat.) Pertaining to, or near, the carotids or one of them.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun anatomy Any of a number of major arteries in the head and neck.
  • adjective Relating to these arteries

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective of or relating to either of the two major arteries supplying blood to the head and neck

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French carotide, from Greek karōtides, carotid arteries, from karoun, to stupefy (because compression of these arteries causes loss of consciousness); see ker- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin caros or Ancient Greek κάρος (karos, "sleep, stupor"). From the fact that the carotid artery supplies blood to the brain, and interruption of this flow causes loss of consciousness.

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Examples

  • It lies opposite the disc between the fifth and sixth cervical vertebræ, and at this level the common carotid artery may be compressed against the _carotid tubercle_ on the transverse process of the sixth cervical vertebra.

    Manual of Surgery Volume Second: Extremities—Head—Neck. Sixth Edition. Alexander Miles 1893

  • Experts consider this condition, called carotid intima media thickness, a precursor to heart attacks and strokes.

    Predicting Heart Health in Children Ron Winslow 2010

  • However, the prevention-cure equation gets a bit more complicated when considering a stroke-preventing surgery called carotid endarterectomy.

    Stroke-preventing surgery works, but it's not without risk 2010

  • Carotid ultrasound looks for atherosclerosis in the neck arteries and a blockage condition called carotid stenosis.

    The 10 Best Questions™ for Recovering from a Heart Attack Ph.D. Dede Bonner 2009

  • He had a what's called carotid endarterectomy where they slice out the carotid artery and scrape out the plaque.

    CNN Transcript May 21, 2008 2008

  • There's also two blood vessels up here called the carotid artery, which supply blood through the brain and sometimes they can get a little blockage in them as well.

    CNN Transcript Nov 21, 2008 2008

  • The Achieve study was using imaging technology known as carotid intima-media thickness, or CIMT, a non-invasive ultrasound test.

    Merck Halts Study 2008

  • This intrinsically important discovery is of all the more interest in view of Hering's discovery (1923-1924) that the area known as the carotid sinus, on the internal carotid at its junction with the common carotid artery, has an analogous function to that of the areas in the aorta from which the depressor nerves arise.

    Physiology or Medicine 1938 - Presentation Speech 1965

  • It becomes as necessary, therefore, in the performance of surgical operations upon the subclavian artery, to fix the clavicle by depressing it, as in Plate 8, as it is to give fixity to the lower maxilla and larynx, in the position of Plate 7, when the carotid is the subject of operation.

    Surgical Anatomy Joseph Maclise

  • The first of these, or carotid trunk (1), ends in an enlargement (a) termed the carotid gland, of spongy structure, which gives rise to two arteries, one the lingual (l), the other (c) the carotid which goes to the head and brain.

    The Common Frog 1874

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  • In castle architecture, "heart-shaped."

    October 11, 2008