| Noun | 1. | cardinal vein - any of the major venous channels in primitive adult vertebrates and in embryos of higher vertebrates anterior cardinal vein - a major drainage channel from the cephalic part of the body posterior cardinal vein - a major drainage channel from the caudal part of the body common cardinal vein - the major return channels to the heart; formed by anastomosis of the anterior and posterior cardinal veins vein, vena, venous blood vessel - a blood vessel that carries blood from the capillaries toward the heart; "all veins except the pulmonary vein carry unaerated blood" |