rhizoverbBeta
DictionarypericardiumHeart sac
noun

pericardium

pair-ee-KAR-dee-um/ˌperiˈkɑːrdiəm/

The thin sac of tissue surrounding the heart.

The cutaway shows the pericardium surrounding the heart.

Accurate medical cutaway shows thin translucent pericardial sac surrounding anatomical heart, sac pulled slightly away to distinguish layers with narrow fluid space, no text.
Etymology
periGreekaround
+cardiumGreekheart

The pieces mean 'around the heart,' naming the sac by its position. The Greek ancestor already referred to the surrounding membrane, so the anatomical meaning preserves that original description.

In context

Institute of Human Anatomy0:00
As you can see if I pull the heart up out of this you can truly see it is sitting in an amazing sac. Again, that we call the pericardium.
Your Heart Sits In a Sac??? | Pericardium & Pericarditis

More examples

  • The diagram shows the layers of the pericardium.
  • The report described fluid near the pericardium.
  • The anatomy lesson distinguished the pericardium from the heart muscle.

Forms

pericardium · pericardia

Similar words

myocardium
The myocardium is heart muscle; the pericardium is the surrounding sac.
endocardium
The endocardium lines the heart’s interior; the pericardium surrounds its exterior.