/eɪˈɔːtə/, /eɪˈɔɹtə/
OriginBorrowed from Ancient Greek ἀορτή (aortḗ, “the arteries springing from the heart”), from ἀορτέω (aortéō), lengthened form of ἀείρω (aeírō, “I lift, raise”).
- The great artery which carries the blood from the heart to all parts of the body except the lungs; the main trunk of the arterial system.
- figurativelyThe 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.”
Formsaortas(plural) · aortae(plural)