What is "pulmonary vein"

n. (context anatomy English) In tetrapods, the vein that returns blood to the heart after it has circulated through the lungs.

n. any of four veins that carry arterial blood from the lungs to the left atrium of the heart [syn: vena pulmonalis]

The pulmonary veins are large blood vessels that receive oxygenated blood from the lungs and drain into the left atrium of the heart. There are four pulmonary veins, two from each lung. The pulmonary veins are among the few veins that carry oxygenated blood.