circle of Willis

English

Alternative forms

• Willis circle

Etymology

Named after English physician Thomas Willis (1621–1675).

Noun

circle of Willis (plural circles of Willis)

1. (anatomy) A circle of arteries at the base of the brain that is formed by the cerebral and communicating arteries and is a site of aneurysms.

References

• “circle of Willis”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.