mediastinum

M3E1D2I1A1S1T1I1N1U1M3
/ˌmiːdi.əˈstaɪnəm/

noun

The region in mammals between the pleural sacs, containing the heart and all of the thoracic viscera except the lungs.

OriginNew Latin mediastīnum ← Medieval Latin mediastīnus ← Latin mediastīnus →
UncommonScrabble 16
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Meanings

nounmediastinum (plural mediastina)

plural mediastina

  1. anatomyThe region in mammals between the pleural sacs, containing the heart and all of the thoracic viscera except the lungs.

Origin

  1. Latinmediastīnus“a common servant”
  2. Medieval Latinmediastīnus“middling; middle”
  3. New Latinmediastīnum
  4. Englishmediastinum

From New Latin mediastīnum, from Medieval Latin mediastīnus (“middling; middle”), from Latin mediastīnus (“a common servant”).

More words from New Latin, Medieval Latin, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan mediastí
  • mediastíthe region in mammals
Chinese Mandarin 縱隔 /纵隔
  • 縱隔 /纵隔 (zònggé)the region in mammals
Finnish välikarsina
  • välikarsinathe region in mammals
French médiastin
  • médiastinthe region in mammals
German Mediastinum
  • Mediastinumthe region in mammals
Hungarian gátor
  • gátorthe region in mammals
Italian mediastino
  • mediastinothe region in mammals
Russian средосте́ние
  • средосте́ние (sredosténije)the region in mammals
Spanish mediastino
  • mediastinothe region in mammals
Cite this entry
APA

mediastinum. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mediastinum

MLA

“mediastinum.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mediastinum. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mediastinum,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mediastinum.

Source: mediastinum on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.