pericardium

noun peri·car·di·um \-ˈkär-dē-əm\

plural peri·car·dia\-dē-ə\

Definition of PERICARDIUM

: the conical sac of serous membrane that encloses the heart and the roots of the great blood vessels of vertebrates

: a cavity or space that contains the heart of an invertebrate and in arthropods is a part of the hemocoel

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Origin of PERICARDIUM

Middle English, from Medieval Latin, from Greek perikardion, neuter of perikardios around the heart, from peri- + kardia heart — more at heart

First Known Use: 15th century

Medical Dictionary

pericardium

noun peri·car·di·um \ˌper-ə-ˈkärd-ē-əm\

plural peri·car·dia \-ē-ə\

Medical Definition of PERICARDIUM

: the conical sac of serous membrane that encloses the heart and the roots of the great blood vessels of vertebrates and consists of an outer fibrous coat that loosely invests the heart and is prolonged on the outer surface of the great vessels except the inferior vena cava and a double inner serous coat of which one layer is closely adherent to the heart while the other lines the inner surface of the outer coat with the intervening space being filled with pericardial fluid