non-vascular

IPA/nˈɒnvˈaskjʊlə/
IPA/nˈɑːnvˈæskjʊlɚ/

non-vascular — adjective

1. describing tissue or a body part that does not contain blood vessels or depend o

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

describing tissue or a body part that does not contain blood vessels or depend on them.

Example

The clear layer at the front of the eye is non-vascular.

be non-vascular

Doctors noted that the scar tissue stayed non-vascular after the burn healed.

Common collocations
  • non-vascular tissue
  • non-vascular membrane
  • non-vascular layer
Synonyms
  • avascular

    more technical medical term for lacking blood vessels

Antonyms
  • vascular

    describes tissue or structures supplied by blood vessels

Grammar Patterns

be non-vascular

non-vascular + noun

Usage Note

Used mainly in medicine and biology for tissue, membranes, or body parts that have no blood-vessel supply. Distinguish from sense 2, which is specifically about whole plants.

2. describing a plant that lacks the internal tissue that moves water and food from

2.adjectiveC1
Definition

describing a plant that lacks the internal tissue that moves water and food from one part to another.

Example

Moss is a non-vascular plant, so it stays small and close to wet ground.

non-vascular plant

In class, we compared non-vascular mosses with taller plants that move water through inner tubes.

contrast with vascular plants

Common collocations
  • non-vascular plant
  • non-vascular moss
  • non-vascular species
Antonyms
  • vascular

    describes plants that have tissue for moving water and nutrients

Grammar Patterns

be non-vascular

non-vascular + plant noun

Usage Note

Used almost only for plants such as mosses and liverworts. Distinguish from sense 1: sense 2 names a plant type, not just tissue without blood vessels.

Common Mistakes

A cactus is non-vascular because it stores water.
A cactus is vascular; moss is non-vascular.
The term is about whether a plant has conducting tissue, not about how much water it holds.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Non-vascular and avascular often overlap, but avascular is the tighter medical label for tissue with no blood-vessel supply. Non-vascular is a little broader because it can also be used in plant biology. Vascular is the opposite word and points to tissue or plants that have vessel systems. Bloodless usually describes little visible blood or a struggle without violence, so it is not a good substitute here. A doctor may call cartilage non-vascular or avascular, but would not usually describe it as bloodless.

avascular ↗vascular ↗bloodless ↗

Etymology

LatinEnglish

This adjective was built in English by adding the negative prefix non- to vascular. Vascular comes through Latin words connected with vessels or small tubes, which suits the modern scientific idea of channels that carry blood, water, or nutrients.