bloodstream

American

[bluhd-streem] / ˈblʌdˌstrim /

noun

the blood flowing through a circulatory system.

bloodstream British

/ ˈblʌdˌstriːm /

noun

the flow of blood through the vessels of a living body

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of bloodstream

First recorded in 1870–75; blood + stream

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

George Santayana’s famous observation about history has been absorbed into the bloodstream of popular thought: Those who don’t learn from it are doomed to repeat it.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026

Using advanced proteomics technology, the team tracked roughly 3,000 proteins circulating in the bloodstream.

From Science Daily • May 17, 2026

Normally, LRP1 recognizes amyloid-β, binds to it, and moves it out of the brain and into the bloodstream for disposal.

From Science Daily • May 17, 2026

A weakened gut barrier can allow inflammatory substances to leak into the bloodstream, potentially triggering long-term inflammation and raising the risk of heart disease and metabolic disorders.

From Science Daily • May 16, 2026

“Ingestible Knowledge isn’t just a theory, Dr. Blackbridge. Cognitive enhancement through the bloodstream is possible! This boy is proof! Living proof! I did it.”

From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023