Tubes that carry blood back to the heart from all parts of the body; also refers to lines or streaks of a different color running through stone, leaves, or other materials.
From Latin 'vena,' meaning blood vessel. The meaning extended to geological and botanical contexts because these structures also form branching patterns similar to blood vessels.
Your veins are under lower pressure than arteries, which is why they appear blue even though blood is red—blue light penetrates deeper into skin, and we see the light that bounces back.
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