vessel

noun ves·sel \ ˈve-səl \

Definition of vessel

1 a :a container (such as a cask, bottle, kettle, cup, or bowl) for holding something

b :a person into whom some quality (such as grace) is infused

a child of light, a true vessel of the Lord
—H. J. Laski

2 :a watercraft bigger than a rowboat; especially :ship 1

3 a :a tube or canal (such as an artery) in which a body fluid is contained and conveyed or circulated

b :a conducting tube in the xylem of a vascular plant formed by the fusion and loss of end walls of a series of cells

See vessel defined for English-language learners

See vessel defined for kids

Examples of vessel in a Sentence

a new ocean liner that claims to be the largest commercial vessel afloat
any vessel that is buoyant and steerable can be entered in the annual race down the river

Recent Examples of vessel from the Web

The Potomac was a working river — continually crisscrossed by steamboats, ferries, cargo ships and naval vessels — and pleasure boats were just in the way.

— john kelly, Washington Post, "In 1904, spectators at a rowing regatta on the Potomac set off on a boat — and died," 29 Aug. 2017
Wall was last seen atop the Nautilus submarine on Aug. 10, about to embark on a brief ride in the vessel for a profile about its Danish inventor.

— matti huuhtanen, The Seattle Times, "Danish police find torso of woman after submarine sinking," 21 Aug. 2017
Royal Caribbean hasn't said whether the new ship will be bigger than the line's three existing Quantum Class vessels.

— gene sloan, USA TODAY, "Construction begins on another giant Royal Caribbean ship, Spectrum of the Seas," 16 Aug. 2017
The humble ad hoc vessels may hold many secrets about our ancestors.

— gemma tarlach, Discover Magazine, "Proteomics: Moving Beyond DNA to Study the Past," 15 Aug. 2017
Boyce, 61, survived two strokes and five operations to unblock arteries around his heart, including three procedures in which doctors propped open his blood vessels with stents.

— liz szabo, Kaiser Health News, "Depression Among Heart Attack Survivors Can Be Deadly, Yet Is Often Ignored," 20 July 2017
These vascular sinuses are connected to a network of vessels that extend into the fin, between the bones that make up the fins’ rays.

— kai sinclair, Science | AAAS, "Watch the secret to a tuna’s sharp turns," 20 July 2017
Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures.

— for kentuckyone health, The Courier-Journal, "Where is your nearest stroke care center?," 19 July 2017
That dignity is sullied by a government that forces its people to serve as unwilling vessels for beliefs that repel them.

— ethan blevins, National Review, "Should Landlords Be Forced to Subsidize Others’ Speech?," 14 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vessel.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.