vein

American  

[veyn] / veɪn /

noun

1. one of the system of branching vessels or tubes conveying blood from various parts of the body to the heart.

2. (loosely) any blood vessel.

3. one of the riblike thickenings that form the framework of the wing of an insect.

4. one of the strands or bundles of vascular tissue forming the principal framework of a leaf.

5. any body or stratum of ore, coal, etc., clearly separated or defined.

   a rich vein of coal.

6. a body or mass of igneous rock, deposited mineral, or the like occupying a crevice or fissure in rock; lode.

7. a natural channel or watercourse beneath the surface of the earth.

8. the water running through such a channel.

9. a streak or marking, as of a different shade or color, running through marble, wood, etc.

10. a condition, mood, or temper.

    a vein of pessimism.

11. a tendency, quality, or strain traceable in character, conduct, writing, etc.; manner or style.

    to write in a poetic vein.

    Synonyms:

    thread, hint, touch, streak, tone

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verb (used with object)

1. to furnish with veins.

2. to mark with lines or streaks suggesting veins.

3. to extend over or through in the manner of veins.

   Broad new highways vein the countryside.

vein British  

/ veɪn /

noun

1. any of the tubular vessels that convey oxygen-depleted blood to the heart Compare pulmonary vein artery

2. any of the hollow branching tubes that form the supporting framework of an insect's wing

3. any of the vascular strands of a leaf

4. a clearly defined mass of ore, mineral, etc, filling a fault or fracture, often with a tabular or sheetlike shape

5. an irregular streak of colour or alien substance in marble, wood, or other material

6. a natural underground watercourse

7. a crack or fissure

8. a distinctive trait or quality in speech, writing, character, etc; strain

   a vein of humour

9. a temporary disposition, attitude, or temper; mood

   the debate entered a frivolous vein

10. a parting in hair

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verb

1. to diffuse over or cause to diffuse over in streaked patterns

2. to fill, furnish, or mark with or as if with veins

vein Scientific  

/ vān /

1. Any of the blood vessels that carry blood toward the heart from the body's cells, tissues, and organs. Veins are thin-walled and contain valves that prevent the backflow of blood. All veins except the pulmonary vein carry blood with low levels of oxygen.

2. One of the narrow, usually branching tubes or supporting parts forming the framework of an insect's wing or a leaf. Veins in insect wings carry hemolymph and contain a nerve. Veins in leaves contain vascular tissue, with the xylem usually occurring on the upper side of the vein (bringing in water and nutrients) and the phloem on the lower side (carrying away food).

3. See more at leaf venation

4. A long, narrow deposit of mineral or rock that fills the void formed by a fracture or fault in another rock. The mineralogy of the host rock surrounding the vein is often altered where it is in contact with the vein because of chemical reactions between the two rock types.

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Other Word Forms

• intervein verb (used with object)
• interveinal adjective
• subvein noun
• unveined adjective
• veinal adjective
• veinless adjective
• veinlike adjective
• veiny adjective

Etymology

Origin of vein

1250–1300; Middle English veine < Old French < Latin vēna vein of the body, channel, ore deposit

Example Sentences

In the same vein, all the adult children out there can ask their parents if they want to be part of their “family plan” for getting taxes done.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

It is not a puff piece in the vein of the newspaper’s profile of Tony Hovater.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026

Broadly speaking, palm-vein technology, which identifies people based on the unique pattern of their veins, is considered less susceptible to identity theft because vein patterns are difficult to copy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

In the same vein, Meta-backed Scale AI has gathered 100,000 hours of footage for robotics, while its Palo Alto-based competitor Micro1 employs 1,000 people across 60 countries to record household tasks.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026

And the bead I’d found, golden yellow with a red vein that I thought wasn’t good enough, just above the cross.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

Related Words

• hair
• lode
• nerve
• seam
• stripe