The story
From arteri- + -o- + contractile. Coined by English physiologist Marshall Hall in 1832 in the paper “Theory of the inverse Ratio which subsists between Respiration and Irritability in the Animal Kingdom”. Despite the initial uptake of this term, it failed to thrive, and is unattested beyond 1835, a mere three years after its coining.
First known use, by meaning
- 1832–1835 Undergoing contraction due to stimulation by arterial blood.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.