any vein connecting two capillary networks, esp in the liver (hepatic portal vein)
portal vein in American English
noun
Anatomy
the large vein conveying blood to the liver from the veins of the stomach, intestine, spleen, and pancreas
Word origin
[1835–45]This word is first recorded in the period 1835–45. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: catch-up, crosshead, cutaway, hot plate, serial
Examples of 'portal vein' in a sentence
portal vein
The treatment is for those with advanced tumours that have spread to the portal vein, a vessel into the pancreas.