occipital artery

noun

An artery that arises from the external carotid artery opposite to the origin of the facial artery, that passes posteriorly to the base of the skull where it turns upward and ascends within the superficial fascia of the scalp, and that supplies or gives off branches supplying structures and especially muscles of the back of the neck and head.

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Meanings

nounoccipital artery (plural occipital arteries)

plural occipital arteries

  1. anatomyAn artery that arises from the external carotid artery opposite to the origin of the facial artery, that passes posteriorly to the base of the skull where it turns upward and ascends within the superficial fascia of the scalp, and that supplies or gives off branches supplying structures and especially muscles of the back of the neck and head.

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 枕動脈 /枕动脉
  • 枕動脈 /枕动脉 (zhěn dòngmài)branch of the external carotid artery
Cite this entry
APA

occipital artery. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/occipital%20artery

MLA

“occipital artery.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/occipital%20artery. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “occipital artery,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/occipital%20artery.

Source: occipital artery on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.