jug·u·lar / ˈjəgyələr/ • adj. 1. of the neck or throat. 2. Zool. (of fish's pelvic fins) located in front of the pectoral fins.• n. short for jugular vein. PHRASES: go for the jugular be aggressive or unrestrained in making an attack.

jugular (jug-yoo-ler) adj. relating to or supplying the neck or throat. j. vein any one of several veins in the neck. j. venous pressure (JVP) the blood pressure in the internal jugular vein, which is an indirect measurement of pressure in the right atrium (central venous pressure). internal j. a very large paired vein running vertically down the side of the neck and draining blood from the brain, face, and neck into the subclavian vein.

jugular From the Latin jugulum, ‘neck’ or ‘throat’, pertaining to the neck or throat. In fish, applied to the position of pelvic fins when these are located anterior to the pectoral fins.

jugular pert. to the neck or throat. XVI. — late L. jugulāris, f. L. jugulum collar-bone, dim. of jugum YOKE; see -AR.