blue blood

"Blue blood" is a term historically used to describe people from noble or aristocratic families, implying they have noble origins. Literally, it refers to the fact that some people's veins appear bluish through their pale skin due to the way light penetrates tissues, but in a symbolic sense, it emphasizes their high social status or noble lineage. The phrase conveys a sense of distinguished heritage and exclusivity, often associated with royalty or nobility, rather than any physical characteristic of blood itself.