ENGLISH
REFERENCE

jugular

n. countable
C1 Advanced US //ˈdʒuɡjəɫɝ// UK //dʒˈuːɡjʊlɐ// jugu·lar Archaic Humorous

n. a large vein in your neck that carries blood back to your heart. It is a very important part of the body, and people often use it in jokes or stories about danger.

n. a large vein in the neck that carries deoxygenated blood from the head and neck to the heart. Often used in a metaphorical or humorous context to refer to the neck or throat.


SIMPLE

He felt a pulse in his jugular.

CONTEXTUAL

The doctor checked the patient's jugular vein to see if there was any swelling or irregularity in the blood flow.

COMPLEX

In many horror films, the jugular is depicted as the most vulnerable point on the human body, serving as a dramatic focal point for tension and fear.

Origin

Late 16th century borrowing from Late Latin jugulāris, from jugulum (“the collarbone; the hollow part of the neck above the collarbone; the throat”) + -āris (“-ar, -ary”, adjectival suffix); equivalent to jugulum + -ar.

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