iliac artery

noun Anatomy.

1. Also called common iliac artery. either of two large arteries that conduct blood to the pelvis and the legs.
2. Also called external iliac artery. the outer branch of an iliac artery that becomes the femoral artery.
3. Also called hypogastric artery, internal iliac artery. the inner branch of an iliac artery that conducts blood to the gluteal region.

n.

1. One of two terminal branches of the abdominal aorta, becoming the internal iliac artery and giving off the external iliac artery; common iliac artery.
2. An artery with its origin in the common iliac artery, with branches to the inferior epigastric and deep circumflex iliac arteries, becoming the femoral artery at the inguinal ligament; external iliac artery.
3. An artery with its origin in the common iliac artery, with branches to the iliolumbar, lateral sacral, obturator, superior gluteal, inferior gluteal, umbilical, superior vesical, inferior vesical, and middle rectal arteries, usually dividing into anterior and posterior arteries; hypogastric artery, internal iliac artery.