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Glite Dictionary
basilic vein

basilic vein

1 6.7
A vein near the skin on the inner side of the arm that takes blood from the hand and forearm
  • noun
  • /ˈbæsəlɪk veɪn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : vena basilica
  • Before starting the IV, the nurse identified the basilic vein on the patient's arm.

Examples

  • During the anatomy lesson, we learned that the basilic vein drains blood from the forearm.

  • "The basilic vein should be fine, either arm,"

    Fiction book (1995)

  • He makes the cuts lengthwise, opening up the cephalic and basilic veins with surgical precision.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • Upper limb catheters were inserted via the groin into the brachial artery and basilic vein.

    Academic text (2015)

  • The surgeon carefully located the basilic vein to place the catheter for the procedure.

Synonyms

vena basilica
vsbasilic vein
  • Specialized
8.9

A large vein inside the lower arm that carries blood to the upper arm

is located superficially in the arm rather than being defined by size

Surface Forms

basilic vein singular
basilic veins plural

Morphology

basilic + vein

The adjective 'basilic' is a specialist anatomical label with no transparent, everyday meaning that a B1 learner could compose from general knowledge; 'vein' (a blood vessel) is transparent but does not help derive the specific identity or location implied by 'basilic'. Because the phrase names a particular anatomical structure rather than expressing a predictable compositional meaning, it is not inferable from the parts for typical learners.

Etymology

Basilic vein may come from an old word meaning 'royal' because this vein is one of the large, easy-to-find veins on the inner arm and back of the hand. Since doctors often used the basilic for important work like blood draws, people thought of it as a 'royal' or main vein, and that picture explains the name today.