vessel

noun

ves·​sel ˈve-səl 

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 sense 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

Synonyms

• boat
• keel
• ship

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 on the Web

As for his new vessel, Handler is reportedly buying the boat from his friend and Jefferies client Tilman Fertitta, a person familiar with the transaction who asked to remain anonymous told Bloomberg. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 25 Apr. 2024

The vessel sank, taking the soldiers on board—about 100 German mercenaries—down with it. —Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Apr. 2024

The 35-foot limited channel will allow commercial vessels to transit for a few days before suspending traffic for roughly 10 days to safely conduct rigging operations onboard the Dali. —Julia Jester, NBC News, 23 Apr. 2024

Hours after a death, family members gather to clean the body ― now little more than an empty vessel ― working quickly to prevent its soul from lingering untethered for too long. —USA TODAY, 20 Apr. 2024

Late Saturday morning, a powerboat sped past surfers just offshore and onto a populated Carlsbad beach, where a dozen or so people jumped out of the vessel, ran across the sand and into an SUV waiting on a nearby road. —Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Apr. 2024

Houthi militants, also backed by Iran, have been going after international commercial vessels passing through the Red Sea in recent months. —Tom Bowman, NPR, 19 Apr. 2024

The presence or absence of pier protections does not provide a clear indication of whether a bridge can withstand a vessel strike. —Júlia Ledur, Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2024

In 2019, a car-carrying vessel capsized at Brunswick, closing the port for a few days. —Peter Eavis, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin vascellum, diminutive of Latin vas vase, vessel

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing vessel

• blood vessel

Kids Definition

vessel

noun

ves·​sel ˈves-əl 

1

: a hollow utensil (as a cup or bowl) for holding something

2

: a craft bigger than a rowboat for navigation of the water

especially : ship entry 1 sense 1

3

a

: a tube or canal (as a vein or artery) in which a body fluid is contained and carried or circulated

b

: a tube in the xylem of a vascular plant through which water passes

Medical Definition

vessel

noun

ves·​sel ˈves-əl 

: a tube or canal (as an artery, vein, or lymphatic) in which a body fluid (as blood or lymph) is contained and conveyed or circulated