What is "cephalic vein"

Cephalic \Ce*phal"ic\, a. [L. cephalicus, Gr. ?, fr. kefalh` head: cf. F. c['e]phalique.] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the head. See the Note under Anterior.

Cephalic index (Anat.), the ratio of the breadth of the cranium to the length, which is taken as the standard, and equal to 100; the breadth index.

Cephalic vein, a large vein running from the back of the head alond the arm; -- so named because the ancients used to open it for disorders of the head.
--Dunglison.

n. a large vein of the arm that empties into the axillary vein [syn: vena cephalica]

In human anatomy, the Cephalic vein (also known as the antecubital vein) is a superficial vein in the arm.

It communicates with the basilic vein via the median cubital vein at the elbow and is located in the superficial fascia along the anterolateral surface of the biceps brachii muscle.

Near the shoulder, the cephalic vein passes between the deltoid and pectoralis major muscles ( deltopectoral groove) and through the deltopectoral triangle, where it empties into the axillary vein.