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

Andrews was found unconscious in a shower cubicle, with investigators working on the theory that he had either suffered a fall, a heart attack or, as transpired, an aneurysm, where a bulging blood vessel breaks.

From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026

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

In a research first, the scientists discovered that urolithin A activates a protein called PKGlα, which plays an important role in both blood vessel function and heart muscle relaxation.

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

The man’s face went so purple I thought he’d burst a blood vessel in his neck.

From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs

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Related Words

• artery
• capillary
• vein

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