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vessel

VES-uhl/ˈvɛs.əl/

Pluralvessels

6 meanings of vessel

Practice

  1. 1
    nouncountable
    A ship or large boat, or sometimes a spaceship or aircraft, that carries people or things.

    Like a floating box that carries people and cargo across the water.

    The vessel sailed into the harbor at dawn.

    Rescue teams reached the sinking vessel just in time.

    UsageOften cargo vessel or fishing vessel.

    Similarship, boat, craft

    Note
  2. 2
    tube in bodynouncountable
    A thin tube that carries blood or other fluid inside a body or a plant.

    Like a pipe that carries water, but inside a body or plant.

    Tiny vessels carry blood to every part of your body.

    A blood vessel burst in his eye.

    UsageMost often blood vessel.

    Note
  3. 3
    containernouncountable
    A container, like a cup, bowl, or bottle, that holds liquid or other things.

    Like a cup or jar that holds whatever you pour into it.

    She poured the soup into a large vessel.

    Ancient people stored grain in clay vessels.

    Similarcontainer, receptacle

  4. 4
    person as carriernouncountable
    A person thought of as holding or carrying feelings, qualities, or a purpose.

    Like a cup that can be filled, but with feelings instead of water.

    She became a vessel for her family's hopes.

    He felt like a vessel filled with grief.

    UsageSay a vessel for or a vessel of.

    Similarinstrument, channel

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 5
    verbobsoletetransitive
    To put a liquid or other substance into a container.
    [Samuel 'Sam' Oliver:] Alright (or: All right), so the Devil didn't say that the winner was the one who vesseled (or: vesselled) him, just the one who sends him back to hell.
    2009, Reaper (TV series), 2nd seasonHere, vesseled means put into a container, so the Devil is trapped inside.
    Note
  2. 6
    nounobsoleteuncountable
    Plates, cups, and forks taken together, especially ones made of gold or silver.
    All his Vessell was of golde and siluer, pottis, basons, ewers, dysshes, flagons, barels, cuppes, and all other thyngis.
    1523, John Bourchier, Here begynneth the first volum of sir Iohan Froyssart : of the cronycles of EnglandeHere, Vessell means dishes and cups taken together, here made of gold and silver.
    Note

Practice

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Origin

It comes from Old French vaissel, meaning a container, which came from Latin words meaning a vase or vessel.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts