vein

American  

[veyn] / veɪn /

noun

• veins
  plural

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

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• veins
  plural

Etymology

Origin of vein

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

Explanation

A vein is a blood vessel. If you've ever donated blood, you know that having a needle put in your vein by a health care worker is not nearly as scary as it sounds. Although it mainly describes part of the body's circulatory system, vein can also refer to a pattern that looks like a vein in your body. For example, you can describe the streaks of color that run through blue cheese as veins of greenish-blue. Similarly, a theme or idea that continues appearing throughout a book could be called a vein. The trickiest thing about the word vein is trying not to confuse it with its homophones — vane (as in weather vane) and vain (as in conceited).

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vein veins

When I spoke with Hassabis, he said he believes the latest math results are in the same vein as the iconic Move 37, even if they’re not exactly the same.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026

Small trials have given high-dose vitamin C through a vein to patients with hard-to-treat cancers such as ovarian, pancreatic or brain tumors.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026

With 2013’s “Blurred Lines,” Robin Thicke and Pharrell set out to make a groovy single in the vein of Marvin Gaye.

From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026

It made it challenging for her to be considered for film roles and even for TV projects of a different vein.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

It had been something about the coal vein taking a turn and going the wrong direction.

From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool

Victoria Gray sat in a Nashville, Tenn., hospital in 2019 while doctors infused her own genetically engineered cells back into her veins.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

With lifelike features, including muscles and veins, it’s finer aesthetically but less distinctive than earlier pieces, and suggests the denouement of their separate culture.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026

Johnson’s carapace is detailed with skin-like textures, swollen bicep veins and living tattoos that offer him encouragement and advice.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026

Together, they identified the "natural algorithm" responsible for creating the looping veins around the pores in the leaves.

From Science Daily ● May 14, 2026

The chill in my veins didn’t return, but halfway up the first flight, I stopped and looked back the way we’d come.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

Related Words

• hair
• lode
• nerve
• seam
• stripe