Note: The translation for this entry is currently under quality review. Some content is temporarily displayed in English only.
venule
This term describes the smallest vessels of the venous system, serving as the critical bridge between the microscopic capillary beds and the larger veins. It carries a clinical and anatomical connotation, typically appearing in medical textbooks, histological reports, or biological research rather than in general conversation.
Because it refers to a specific anatomical structure, it is treated as a standard countable noun. It follows regular English pluralization rules, though it is almost exclusively used in technical contexts to describe the circulatory pathway of blood returning to the heart.
Meanings
Examples
Blood moves from the capillaries into a venule.
The venule then carries the blood toward a larger vein.
Look at the diagram to see how the venule connects to the capillary bed.
Is a venule larger than a capillary but smaller than a vein?
Inflammation can cause the walls of the venule to become more permeable.
The blood in the venule is typically depleted of oxygen.
I wonder if the venule structure varies across different organs.
The microscopic slide shows a clear view of a single venule.
White blood cells often migrate through the wall of the postcapillary venule.