blood vessel

American  

noun

• blood vessels
  plural

1. any of the vessels, as arteries, veins, or capillaries, through which the blood circulates.

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blood vessel British  

noun

1. an artery, capillary, or vein

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blood vessel Scientific  

1. An elastic tube or passage in the body through which blood circulates; an artery, a vein, or a capillary.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• blood vessels
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of blood vessel

First recorded in 1685–95

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

blood vessel

A hemorrhagic stroke is less common than an ischemic stroke, but it is more fatal and occurs when a blood vessel leaks or ruptures in the brain, according to the Mayo Clinic.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026

For the first time, the researchers found that urolithin A activates a protein called PKGlα, which plays an important role in blood vessel function and the relaxation of heart muscle.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 28, 2026

These include genes involved in oxygen transport and use, blood vessel formation, mitochondrial activity, and lung development.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026

Tonsianus Sambang was visiting his mother, being treated for a ruptured blood vessel in her brain, when the quake struck.

From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026

“Could be a missed blood vessel that wasn’t cauterized,” the doctor says.

From "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman

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Related Words

• artery
• capillary
• vein

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