venose

Venose is an adjective used in English to describe something that is veined or marked by veins. The term emphasizes the presence of visible vein-like lines or a network of veins and is mostly found in scholarly contexts rather than everyday language. It derives from Latin venosus “veined,” via Old French, and has been attested in various fields since early modern times.

In botany and plant morphology, venose describes leaves, petals, or fruits that show a conspicuous venation pattern, particularly a dense network of secondary veins or a strong reticulate venation. The surface may reveal pronounced veins that are raised or clearly visible from either side, giving a veined appearance to the organ.

In entomology, the term is used to describe wings or wing membranes with a clearly defined venation pattern. Venose wings have a noticeable arrangement of veins and cross-veins, which can be important for identifying species and understanding flight mechanics.

The term is relatively rare in everyday usage. More common alternatives include veined, venate, or venation, depending on the precise context. Venose remains a specialized descriptor in descriptive morphology, used when a surface’s vein pattern is a significant feature of the object being described.