capillary

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Capillaries

[edit] Etymology

From Latin capillaris (pertaining to the hair) < capillus (the hair, prop. of the head) < caput (head).

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[edit] Noun

Singular
capillary

Plural
capillaries

capillary (plural capillaries)

  1. (anatomy) Any of the small blood vessels that connect arteries to veins. Their walls are composed of a single layer of cells which allows molecules such as oxygen, water and lipids to pass through them by diffusion and enter the tissues. Waste products such as carbon dioxide and urea can diffuse back into the blood to be carried away for removal from the body.

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