intravenous

adjective

in·​tra·​ve·​nous ˌin-trə-ˈvē-nəs 

: situated, performed, or occurring within or entering by way of a vein

also : used in or using intravenous procedures

intravenously adverb

Examples of intravenous in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These medicines are building blocks of intravenous nutrition given to premature babies who can’t yet feed normally. —Sally Pipes, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025

When Hurricane Helene ravaged western North Carolina in September 2024, one of its many victims was a manufacturing plant that made intravenous fluids. —Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 20 Aug. 2025

Pancreatitis often requires some form of treatment, such as pain medication, intravenous fluids, and possibly intensive care treatment.2 2. —Julie Scott, Verywell Health, 18 Aug. 2025

After a multi-day regimen of intravenous fluids and electrolyte repletion and the antipsychotic risperidone, doctors were finally able to get the full story. —Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 14 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

circa 1849, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing intravenous

• intravenous immune globulin
• intravenous immunoglobulin

Rhymes for intravenous

• salvelinus
• arteriovenous
• cleanness
• freeness
• genus
• minas
• penis
• venous
• venus
• dominus
• fraxinus
• lupinus

Kids Definition

intravenous

adjective

in·​tra·​ve·​nous ˌin-trə-ˈvē-nəs 

: being within or entering by way of the veins

intravenous feeding

intravenously adverb

Medical Definition

intravenous

adjective

in·​tra·​ve·​nous ˌin-trə-ˈvē-nəs 

1

: situated within, performed within, occurring within, or administered by entering a vein

an intravenous feeding

intravenous inflammation

2

: used in intravenous procedures

intravenous needles

an intravenous solution

intravenously adverb