rete mirabile

English

Alternative forms

• rete mirabilis (nonstandard)

Etymology

From post-Classical Latin rete mirabile (“wonderful net”) (14th century).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌɹiːti mɪˈɹɑːbɪleɪ/

Noun

rete mirabile (plural retia mirabilia)

1. (anatomy, zoology) A complex of blood vessels found in some vertebrates that preserves a gradient of a certain solute or particle, originally specifically the network of arterioles at the base of the brain in some ungulates and other mammals. [from 15th c.]
   • 1997, Roy Porter, The Greatest Benefit to Mankind, Folio Society, published 2016, page 65:

     His description of the rete mirabile, the network of arteries at the base of the brain, shows he dissected animals as well as human corpses, since it does not exist in humans.

   • 2020, Tim Ecott, The Land of Maybe, Short Books, published 2021, page 175:

     In whales, the rete mirabile also allows oxygenated blood to be supplied to the brain slowly, helping to avoid the problems human beings experience when swimming at depth – principally the bends.

Usage notes

The following plurals are considered nonstandard: reta mirabilia, retia mirabila, rete mirabiles, rete mirabili.