vein

noun

\ ˈvān

Definition of vein

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : blood vessel especially : any of the tubular branching vessels that carry blood from the capillaries toward the heart

2a : any of the vascular bundles forming the framework of a leaf

b : any of the thickened cuticular ribs that serve to stiffen the wings of an insect

3a : a narrow water channel in rock or earth or in ice

b(1) : lode sense 2

(2) : a bed of useful mineral matter

c : lode sense 3

4 : something suggesting veins (as in reticulation) specifically : a wavy variegation (as in marble)

5a : a distinctive mode of expression : style stories in a romantic vein

b : a distinctive element or quality : strain introduced a welcome vein of humor

c : a line of thought or action

6a : a special aptitude inherited an artistic vein

b : a usually transitory and casually attained mood

c : top form thou troublest me; I am not in the vein— William Shakespeare

vein

verb

veined; veining; veins

Definition of vein (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to pattern with or as if with veins

Other Words from vein Synonyms More Example Sentences Phrases Containing vein Learn More About vein

Examples of vein in a Sentence

Noun the author goes on in that sarcastic vein for pages

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Is the other material on the album in a similar vein? — Matt Wake | Mwake@al.com, al, 3 May 2022 In a similar vein, 90 percent of the greyhounds did not bury their toys. — Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American, 28 Apr. 2022 In a similar vein, there are standing desks with a green angle. — Scharon Harding, Ars Technica, 28 Apr. 2022 In a similar vein, organizations have seemingly understood the power of AI in the last few years. — Naveen Joshi, Forbes, 18 Apr. 2022 In a similar vein, the generations after the Holocaust, not having been there, have the potential to understand the Shoah in ways that even survivors may not A final idea comes to mind. — Rabbi Avi Weiss, Sun Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2022 In a similar vein, in terms of hunting down big files? — Andy Meek, BGR, 11 Apr. 2022 In a similar vein, analysts at Jefferies said ESG clients who have historically avoided defense companies may shift course as regulators take another look. — Frances Schwartzkopff, Bloomberg.com, 10 Apr. 2022 Another group operating in a similar vein, the Eastside Community Network, said there is frustration among residents in the city’s flood-prone areas who have suffered through multiple events with little change. — Miriam Marini, Detroit Free Press, 8 Apr. 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Companies are offering marble-look tile in unexpected hues like magenta and green, or with veining in gold or copper. — Washington Post, 13 Nov. 2019 Coming up, says Tien: Parker House rolls veined with scallions and shallots, a riff on Chinese scallion pancakes. — Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 25 Oct. 2019 Quartzite comes in an array of colors and veining that ranges from subtle to bold. — Jeff Reina, Houston Chronicle, 2 Nov. 2019 Instead, the crust is dense and focaccia-like, its insides veined with olive oil. — Soleil Ho, SFChronicle.com, 3 Oct. 2019 Against an uncharacteristically gray June Parisian sky, veined with fine clouds like marble, Pierpaolo Piccioli, the 52-year-old creative director of Valentino, crouches contemplatively, brow furrowed, chin resting on fist. — Mariano Vivanco; Fashion Editor: Miguel Enamorado, Harper's BAZAAR, 21 Aug. 2019 The border region of Lombardy adopted blue-veined cheese over mozzarella, and substituted rice for the ubiquitous Italian pasta. — Jim Kempton, Orange County Register, 2 Aug. 2019 Kayak through the General Carrera Lake’s Marble Chapels, a network of glacial caves veined with blue striations carved from calcium carbonate by over 6,000 years of water pressure. — National Geographic, 5 July 2019 Taking 579 years and at least 78 chief architects to complete, the cathedral is one of the jewels of Europe; a canal network was created just to transport slabs of its pink-veined marble from Lake Maggiore 50 miles away. — Michael J. Bailey, BostonGlobe.com, 18 June 2019 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vein.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for vein

Noun

Middle English veyne, borrowed from Anglo-French veine, going back to Latin vēna "blood vessel, channel," of obscure origin

Verb

verbal derivative of vein entry 1

Learn More About vein

Dictionary Entries Near vein

veiltail

vein

veinbanding

Statistics for vein

Last Updated

14 May 2022

Cite this Entry

“Vein.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vein. Accessed 23 May. 2022.

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More Definitions for vein

vein

noun

\ ˈvān

Kids Definition of vein

1 : one of the blood vessels that carry the blood back to the heart

2 : a long narrow opening in rock filled with a specific mineral a vein of gold

3 : a streak of different color or texture (as in marble)

4 : a style of expression I continued in a more serious vein.— Gail Carson Levine, Ella Enchanted

5 : one of the bundles of fine tubes that make up the framework of a leaf and carry food, water, and nutrients in the plant

6 : one of the slender parts that stiffen and support the wing of an insect

vein

noun

\ ˈvān

Medical Definition of vein

: any of the tubular branching vessels that carry blood from the capillaries toward the heart and have thinner walls than the arteries and often valves at intervals to prevent reflux of the blood which flows in a steady stream and is in most cases dark-colored due to the presence of reduced hemoglobin