Definition of "subclavian" [sub•cla•vi•an]

• Anatomy Situated beneath the clavicle. (adjective)
• Anatomy Of or relating to a subclavian part. (adjective)
• Anatomy Of or relating to the subclavian artery or vein. (adjective)
• A subclavian structure, such as a nerve or muscle. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "That part of the vessel which extends from its origin to the outer border of the first rib is termed the subclavian; beyond this point to the lower border of the axilla it is named the axillary; and from the lower margin of the axillary space to the bend of the elbow it is termed brachial; here the trunk ends by dividing into two branches the radial and ulnar."
• "An under-recognized and usually asymptomatic condition called subclavian artery stenosis"
• "According to the doctor, a half inch lower and it would have hit the subclavian artery, killing him in under five minutes."