communicating artery

com·mu·ni·cat·ing artery (k-myn-ktng)

n.

1. An artery that connects two larger arteries.

2. A short artery joining the two anterior cerebral arteries and completing anteriorly the circle of Willis; anterior communicating artery.

3. An artery with origin in the internal carotid artery, with distribution to the optic tract, cerebral peduncle, and hippocampal gyrus; and with anastomoses with the posterior cerebral artery to form the circle of Willis; posterior communicating artery.