Letter A

Adventitia

7 views

The outermost connective tissue covering of any organ, vessel, or other structure.

For example, the connective tissue that surrounds an artery is called the adventitia because it is considered extraneous to the artery.

'Adventitia' comes from the Latin 'adventicius' meaning 'foreign, strange, extraneous, coming from abroad or from outside.' Other English words that stem from 'advenire' include 'adventure' and 'avenue.' A related term is 'adventititious' meaning 'coming from an external source or occurring in an unusual place or manner.' When a doctor or nurse listens to the chest or abdomen, adventitious sounds are those that are normally not heard coming from the chest or abdomen.

Share this definition

Medical disclaimer

The information on this page is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice in any way.

  • It does not replace the advice of a physician, pharmacist or other healthcare professional.
  • It does not represent a prescription of drugs, diagnostic exams or therapies.
  • In case of symptoms, doubts or concerns about your health, always consult a qualified physician.

In case of emergency call 911 (US) or 112 (EU).