n.
A small cavity or chamber within a body or organ, especially:
- The chamber on the left side of the heart that receives arterial blood from the left atrium and contracts to force it into the aorta.
- The chamber on the right side of the heart that receives venous blood from the right atrium and forces it into the pulmonary artery.
- Any of the interconnecting cavities of the brain.
[Middle English, from Old French ventricule, from Latin ventriculus, diminutive of venter, belly.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
