aorta

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀορτή (aortḗ, “the arteries springing from the heart”), from ἀορτέω (aortéō), lengthened form of ἀείρω (aeírō, “I lift, raise”).

noun

1. (anatomy) The great artery which carries the blood from the heart to all parts of the body except the lungs; the main trunk of the arterial system.
2. (figurative) The liveliest part of something.
   Tracing their battles, I had many occasions to walk along Second Avenue, the aorta of the Lower East Side, exploring places that were once as vibrant and tumultuous as Midtown Manhattan. 26 January 2007, Stefan Kanfer, “In Lower Manhattan, the Echo of the Yiddish Stage Endures”, in The New York Times