sublingual vein

7.0

A vein under the tongue that carries blood back to the heart

noun
/ˌsʌblɪŋˈɡwəl veɪn/

Specialized

: vena sublingual

A prominent sublingual vein may sometimes be visible under the surface of the tongue.

Examples

The dentist examined the sublingual vein for any signs of swelling or discoloration.
In rare cases, the sublingual vein can be used for the administration of certain medications.
The sublingual vein is crucial for drug absorption.
Did you know about the sublingual veins in the mouth?
During the dental check-up, the doctor carefully inspected the sublingual vein to ensure there were no abnormalities.
The sublingual vein plays a vital role in providing access to the bloodstream for medications taken under the tongue.
Understanding the function of the sublingual vein can help patients make informed decisions about their medication routes.

Synonyms

vena sublingualis

vssublingual vein

Specialized

9.9

A small vein under the tongue that drains into the main vein of the tongue

has the same meaning but appears as an alternative term form

Surface Forms

sublingual vein singular

sublingual veins plural

Morphology

sublingual + vein

The meaning 'a vein located beneath the tongue' is directly derived from combining 'sublingual' (under the tongue) with 'vein' (a blood vessel). Although medical, the compound follows regular compositional patterns and is cross-linguistically transparent, so a learner who knows both constituents would infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Sublingual vein comes from old Latin words that mean 'under the tongue': sub = 'under' and lingual = 'tongue'. So the name paints a simple picture — the vein right beneath the tongue, which is why it refers to a vein under the tongue.