1
: blood vessel
especially
: any of the tubular branching vessels that carry blood from the capillaries toward the heart
2
a
: 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
3
a
: a narrow water channel in rock or earth or in ice
b(1)
(2)
: a bed of useful mineral matter
c
4
: something suggesting veins (as in reticulation)
specifically
: a wavy variegation (as in marble)
5
6
a
: 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
William Shakespeare
Synonyms
Examples of vein in a Sentence
Noun
the author goes on in that sarcastic vein for pages
Recent Examples on the WebHazlitt, 3 Apr. 2024
Large quantities of high-quality vein graphite have been shipped for testing to confirm its suitability as anode material.
—Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
Regardless of whose blood runs in your veins, your sister is your sister.
—Harriette Cole, The Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2024
Amazon One uses palms and their underlying vein structure to create a palm signature, which is created with the help of generative AI and verified by Amazon One scanners for things like retail purchases, age verification, entry and more.
—Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Bartos used an ultrasound machine to find the large vein and artery in Sauer’s right groin, which appeared as black circles on the screen.
—Helen Ouyang, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2024
Skin, especially in lighter-toned individuals, can absorb red and reflect blue and green wavelengths, giving veins the appearance of being blue.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2024
Surgeons go up into the veins, gaining access to the artery at the top of the leg.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 22 Mar. 2024
While the most common types of strokes are caused by a blockage of an artery, a smaller percentage are caused by bleeding — and even fewer result from clots in veins.
—Journal Sentinel, 20 Mar. 2024
Spin Staff, SPIN, 21 Dec. 2023
Available in both black and white, each stocking holder is a chic and modern block of Marquina marble with contrast veining variations, meaning each stocking holder will be unique.
—L. Daniela Alvarez, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Nov. 2023
Mark veins on leaves with a pastry wheel or sharp knife.
—Eugenia W. Bell, Southern Living, 30 Oct. 2023
The up-to-date kitchen, all white with stainless-steel appliances and lightly veined white marble (or marble-like) counters, is open over a snack bar to a casual lounge for TV watching.
—Mark David, Robb Report, 7 Oct. 2023
Countertops are veined gray quartz, and backsplashes are vertical 3-by-6-inch gray tile.
—Benjamin C Tankersley, Washington Post, 13 Sep. 2023
The results suggested that as rain soaks into cracks in the ground, CO2 dissolved in the rainwater pairs up with magnesium atoms, forming magnesium carbonate veins, until the small amount of gas in the water quickly runs out.
—Douglas Fox, Scientific American, 1 July 2021
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
Noun
But as your book shows, there is an extremely rich vein of Jesus-is-my-boyfriend material throughout Catholic and Orthodox traditions.
—Hazlitt, 3 Apr. 2024
Large quantities of high-quality vein graphite have been shipped for testing to confirm its suitability as anode material.
—Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
Regardless of whose blood runs in your veins, your sister is your sister.
—Harriette Cole, The Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2024
Amazon One uses palms and their underlying vein structure to create a palm signature, which is created with the help of generative AI and verified by Amazon One scanners for things like retail purchases, age verification, entry and more.
—Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Bartos used an ultrasound machine to find the large vein and artery in Sauer’s right groin, which appeared as black circles on the screen.
—Helen Ouyang, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2024
Skin, especially in lighter-toned individuals, can absorb red and reflect blue and green wavelengths, giving veins the appearance of being blue.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2024
Surgeons go up into the veins, gaining access to the artery at the top of the leg.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 22 Mar. 2024
While the most common types of strokes are caused by a blockage of an artery, a smaller percentage are caused by bleeding — and even fewer result from clots in veins.
—Journal Sentinel, 20 Mar. 2024
Verb
The ropey veins in James Hetfield’s throat threatened to burst through his skin, Kirk Hammett’s fingers were a blur on the guitar frets and no one can pull a stank face quite like Lars Ulrich while relentlessly shredding on the drums.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 21 Dec. 2023
Available in both black and white, each stocking holder is a chic and modern block of Marquina marble with contrast veining variations, meaning each stocking holder will be unique.
—L. Daniela Alvarez, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Nov. 2023
Mark veins on leaves with a pastry wheel or sharp knife.
—Eugenia W. Bell, Southern Living, 30 Oct. 2023
The up-to-date kitchen, all white with stainless-steel appliances and lightly veined white marble (or marble-like) counters, is open over a snack bar to a casual lounge for TV watching.
—Mark David, Robb Report, 7 Oct. 2023
Countertops are veined gray quartz, and backsplashes are vertical 3-by-6-inch gray tile.
—Benjamin C Tankersley, Washington Post, 13 Sep. 2023
The results suggested that as rain soaks into cracks in the ground, CO2 dissolved in the rainwater pairs up with magnesium atoms, forming magnesium carbonate veins, until the small amount of gas in the water quickly runs out.
—Douglas Fox, Scientific American, 1 July 2021
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
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vein.' 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
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
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3a
Verb
1502, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of vein was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing vein
Dictionary Entries Near vein
Cite this Entry
“Vein.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vein. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
vein
nounˈvān
1
: a long narrow opening in rock filled with mineral matter
a vein of gold
2
a
: one of the blood vessels that carry blood from the capillaries back to the heart
b
: one of the vascular bundles forming the framework of a leaf
c
: one of the thickened ribs that stiffen the wings of an insect
3
: a wavy band or streak (as of a different color or texture)
a marble with greenish veins
4
: a style of expression
stories in a romantic vein
Medical Definition
vein
noun
: 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
More from Merriam-Webster on vein
Nglish: Translation of vein for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of vein for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about vein
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