Veins
/veɪnz/noun
Blood vessels that carry blood toward the heart, especially those returning deoxygenated blood from the body.
Did you know?In classical Latin, vena meant not only a blood vessel but also a poet’s style or source of inspiration, giving English the metaphorical sense of a creative “vein.”
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
vēna
“A blood vessel, vein, or channel; metaphorically, a vein of composition or style”
Late Latin
Latin
vēna
“A vein or natural channel, retaining the figurative sense of a source or tendency”
12th Century
Old French
veine
“A vein in the body; also a streak, seam, or characteristic tendency”
14th Century
Middle English
veine
“A bodily vein, mineral seam, or distinctive line of thought”
Modern English
English
veins
“Plural of vein: blood vessels, mineral seams, or metaphorical channels of influence or expression”