Vena
/ˈviː.nə/noun
A vein, especially one identified in anatomical or medical terminology.
Did you know?In anatomical Latin, vena appears in names such as vena cava, literally “hollow vein,” preserving the language of Roman medicine in modern anatomy.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European (proposed)
PIE
*weis-
“A debated root associated with flowing, melting, or liquid movement; its connection with vena is not completely certain.”
Classical Latin
Latin
vēna
“A vein or blood vessel; also a vein of metal or a channel of water.”
Late Latin
Latin
vēna
“A vein, especially in medical and anatomical writing.”
Medieval Latin
Medieval Latin
vena
“A vein or bodily vessel, retained in scholarly medical terminology.”
Modern English
English
vena
“A vein, chiefly used as an anatomical term and in compound names such as vena cava.”