lingual vein
- noun
- /ˈlɪŋɡwəl veɪn/
- Specialized
- Blood from the tongue drains primarily through the lingual vein into the internal jugular vein.
Examples
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The lingual vein is often visible beneath the tongue in some individuals.
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During surgery, care must be taken not to damage the lingual vein.
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The lingual vein carries blood from the tongue.
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During surgery, the lingual vein must be carefully avoided.
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Blood from the tongue drains primarily through the lingual vein into the internal jugular vein.
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During surgery, care must be taken not to damage the lingual vein.
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The lingual vein is often visible beneath the tongue in some individuals.
Synonyms
A vein that carries blood from the tongue and the floor of the mouth to larger neck veins
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and transparently derived from 'lingual' (pertaining to the tongue) + 'vein' (a blood vessel): together they denote a vein associated with the tongue. This anatomical naming pattern is compositional and cross-linguistically regular, so a learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Lingual vein uses lingual, a word meaning 'tongue', and vein, meaning a 'blood tube'. So, it names the 'blood tube' that carries blood away from the tongue and the floor of the mouth.