foramen science definition

An opening or short passage, especially in the body.
♦ The large opening in the base of the skull through which the spinal cord passes is called the foramen magnum (măgˈnəm).
♦ The opening in the septum between the right and left atria of the heart, present in the fetus but usually closed soon after birth, is the foramen ovale (ō-vălˈē, -vāˈlē, -väˈ-).