veine

/vɛn/
vein

Le sang circule dans les veines.

Blood circulates in the veins.


What It Really Means
A period of sustained success or a specific stylistic lineage.
Literal Meaning
A blood vessel or mineral layer.
Literal Breakdown
veinevein
Mental Image
A continuous channel carrying something valuable (blood, gold, or ideas).
When to Use
Describing an author who writes in the style of a predecessor, or a gambler who keeps winning.
Cultural Note
The metaphor of the 'vein' for luck is common in Romance languages, linking the flow of life/blood to the flow of fortune.
Medicine
technical

A blood vessel that carries blood toward the heart.

L'infirmière a cherché une veine pour la piqûre.

The nurse looked for a vein for the injection.

Anatomical structure.

Engineering
technical

A layer of mineral ore in the earth's crust.

Les mineurs ont découvert une veine d'or.

The miners discovered a vein of gold.

Geological context.

informal

A streak of good luck or a period of success.

Il est dans une bonne veine aujourd'hui.

He is on a roll today.

Used metaphorically to describe sustained success or mood.

literary

A particular style, tone, or genre.

Ce film est dans la veine de Hitchcock.

This film is in the vein of Hitchcock.

Refers to artistic lineage or thematic similarity.

Collocations

être dans une bonne veineto be on a roll / to be in good formdans la veine dein the vein ofveine saphènesaphenous vein

Antonyms

Related Phrases

Pro Tip

Medical vs. Metaphorical

Remember that while 'veine' is the anatomical term for a blood vessel, it is also the go-to word for 'luck' in informal speech. If you are talking about a doctor, it is anatomy; if you are talking about winning a game, it is luck.

Gold Rule

Gender Agreement

Veine is a feminine noun (la veine). Adjectives must agree: 'une bonne veine', not 'un bon veine'.

Word Origin

From Latin 'vena', meaning vein.

Usage Notes

In everyday French, 'veine' is frequently used metaphorically to describe luck ('avoir de la veine') or a consistent style ('dans la veine de'). Do not confuse with 'artère' (artery), which carries blood away from the heart.

Word Breakdown

vein
tube-like structure
root
Dictionnaire Français-Anglais