ar·te·ri·ole 
(är-tîrē-ōl′)
(är-tîrē-ōl′)n.
One of the small terminal branches of an artery, especially one that connects with a capillary.
[New Latin artēriola, diminutive of Latin artēria, artery, from Greek artēriā; see wer-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
ar·te′ri·olar (-ōlər, -ə-lər) adj.