pericardial liquid

noun

UK /ˌperɪˈkɑːdiəl ˈlɪkwɪd/

US /ˌperɪˈkɑːrdiəl ˈlɪkwɪd/

The watery fluid around the heart that keeps it safe and slippery.

The doctor said the pericardial liquid helps the heart move without rubbing.

SYNONYMS

pericardial fluid heart sac fluid serous pericardial fluid cardiac sac fluid

RELATED WORDS

pericardium heart serous membrane lubrication cardiology

OTHER MEANINGS

2. Fluid that builds up in the sac around the heart when someone is sick.

Too much pericardial liquid can press on the heart and make it hard to beat.

3. A sample of the fluid taken to check for infection.

The lab tested the pericardial liquid to find out what was causing the fever.

4. The thin layer of moisture that lets the heart slide smoothly inside its sac.

You can think of pericardial liquid as oil that keeps the heart moving easily.