ScienceAugust 23, 2026

branchial

BRANG-kee-uhl

Definition

Relating to or located in the area of the gills.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek word 'brankhia,' meaning 'gills,' which entered English through New Latin in the early 19th century.

In the news

The article uses the term to identify the two 'branchial hearts' that pump oxygen-poor blood through the octopus's gills before it reaches the main systemic heart.

An octopus has three hearts, but during jet-propelled swimming its main systemic heart can briefly stop—the pressure inside its mantle prevents enough blood from returning to the hearts. That helps explain why bottom-dwelling octopuses usually crawl and re

Read the full article ↗

ScienceBlog.com

Related words

adjoint

In this context, referring to a mathematical operator or system that satisfies a specific…

Science

antivenom

A medicinal serum containing antibodies that counteract the effects of a specific animal…

Science

aorta

The large, primary artery that transports oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of…

Science

arsenide

A chemical compound containing arsenic combined with a less electronegative element, such…

Science

benthic

Relating to or occurring at the bottom of a body of water, such as the seafloor.

Science

cephalopod

A marine mollusc characterized by tentacles and a complex nervous system, such as an…

Science

Learn a word like this every day

Meet one new word every morning.

Newspoken pulls one carefully chosen word from the day’s news — with a clear definition, context, and light review that makes it stick. Get it on your phone.