venation

noun

ve·​na·​tion ve-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce venation (audio)
vē-
: an arrangement or system of veins (as in the tissue of a leaf or the wing of an insect)

Illustration of venation

Illustration of venation
  • 1 parallel-veined
  • 2 net-veined
  • 3 dichotomously veined

Examples of venation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The leaves had reticulate venation, a web-like pattern of interconnected veins. Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 10 Nov. 2023 Growers like Proven Winners have a dozen or so new varieties of the showy aroid this year alone, ranging from dark red with green edges (‘Scarlet Flame’) to red-speckled white leaves with dark green edges and venation (‘Splash of Wine’). Heather Arndt Anderson, Sunset Magazine, 10 Jan. 2020 The bloom is golden with a tracery of magenta venation. Adrian Higgins, idahostatesman, 21 Feb. 2018 Sarracenia flava, the yellow pitcher, has chartreuse flowers and pitchers, though often with marked venation and natural variation. The Washington Post, NOLA.com, 3 July 2017 Damage from hungry insects, cold weather or parasites can interrupt leaves’ normal venation patterns. Laura Sanders, WIRED, 4 Feb. 2010 Sarracenia leucophylla, the white-top pitcher, is another southern pitcher and perhaps the showiest, with the white upper areas of the tubes contrasting strikingly with darker venation. The Washington Post, NOLA.com, 3 July 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'venation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin vēna vein entry 1 + -ation

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of venation was in 1646

Dictionary Entries Near venation

Cite this Entry

“Venation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/venation. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

venation

noun
ve·​na·​tion ve-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce venation (audio)
vē-
: an arrangement or system of veins
the venation of the hand
the venation of a leaf
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