Combining Form: arter- / arteri-

Short Definition

Relating to an artery.

Long Definition

The combining forms arter- and arteri- refer to arteries, the thick‑walled vessels that carry oxygenated blood away from the heart. These terms appear constantly in cardiovascular, vascular surgery, and interventional radiology documentation.

Etymology

  • Greek artÄ“ria → “windpipe, artery”
TermMeaning
angi-vessel
phleb-vein
cardi-heart

Common Medical Terms

Documentation Clues

  • “Arterial stenosis”
  • “Pulsatile”
  • “Arterial access obtained”

Coder’s Notes

Arterial procedures often require selective catheterization coding and laterality.



Med terms dictionary Appendix A Prefixes Appendix B Combining Forms Appendix C Suffixes Appendix D Suffix forms