Meanings
- anatomyThe innermost layer of an artery or vein, made up of one layer of endothelial cells and supported by an internal elastic lamina.
Injury to the tunica intima will result in roughened endothelial edges and possible adherence of platelets, which may form clots.
1990, Phyllis Fichtelman Nentwich, Intravenous Therapy, Jones & Bartlett Publishers, page 202 more examples
In capillaries of larger caliber, three to four endothelial cells may encompass the lumen. The tunica intima consists of endothelium and a basement membrane; the tunica media is absent and the tunica adventitia is greatly reduced.
2004, William J. Krause, The Art of Examining and Interpreting Histologic Preparations, 2nd edition, Universal Publishers, page 39In veins, the tunica intima and tunica media are less distinct than in arteries, e.g., the venous tunica intima is difficult to distinguish at low power magnification [42].
2009, Sara E. Anderson, Ryan Lahm, Paul A. Iaizzo, “7. The Coronary Vascular System and Associated Medical Devices”, in Paul A. Iaizzo, editor, Handbook of Cardiac Anatomy, Physiology, and Devices, Springer, page 113
Origin
- Latintunica intima“inner tunic”
- Englishtunica intima
Learned borrowing from Latin tunica intima (“inner tunic”).
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic الغِلَالَة البَاطِنَة
- الغِلَالَة البَاطِنَةinnermost layer of an artery or vein
Finnish sisäkalvo, tunica intima
- sisäkalvoinnermost layer of an artery or vein
- tunica intimainnermost layer of an artery or vein
French tunique intime
- tunique intimeinnermost layer of an artery or vein
Polish warstwa wewnętrzna
- warstwa wewnętrznainnermost layer of an artery or vein
Cite this entry
tunica intima. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tunica%20intima
“tunica intima.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tunica%20intima. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tunica intima,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tunica%20intima.
Source: tunica intima on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.