intravenous
Americanadjective
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within a vein.
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of, pertaining to, employed in, or administered by injection into a vein.
an intravenous solution.
noun
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an intravenous injection.
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intravenous feeding. IV
adjective
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Existing or occurring within a vein.
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Administered into a vein, as an injection.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of intravenous
Explanation
If you're severely dehydrated, your nurse will rig up an intravenous drip to get liquid into you: she'll skip your mouth and plug directly into your veins. Intravenous can be broken down to intra-, meaning "within" or "via," and venous, meaning "of the veins." Often in hospitals you will be given water or nutrients from intravenous drips — you've surely seen these on TV if not at the hospital: plastic bags of liquid connected to a tube going into someone's arm. It's a way to get needed stuff into your body without waiting for the digestive system to handle it.
Vocabulary lists containing intravenous
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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.
Samples from his intravenous line earlier that evening later tested positive for Enterococcus faecalis.
From BBC • May 5, 2026
The improvement held true across different delivery methods -- intramuscular, intratracheal, and intravenous -- and worked regardless of the specific nanoparticle design or genetic material being delivered.
From Science Daily • Apr. 20, 2026
The company added that the treatment, known as Tepezza OBI and administered in a subcutaneous form, achieved efficacy that is comparable with the intravenous version.
From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026
After being diagnosed, George almost immediately began treatment to help manage his symptoms, which involves intravenous administration of ocrelizumab once every six months over the course of four to six hours.
From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026
“You are still in intravenous antibiotics and—” “I have to go,” I said.
From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
