vessel
6 synonyms and 0 antonyms for vessel, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A ship, boat, or other craft built for travelling on water (or, more loosely, air or space).
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use vessel
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old French vaissel, from Late Latin vascellum, "small container" — a diminutive of vas, "vase".
Full origin of vessel →Frequently asked questions
What does “vessel” mean?
The word “vessel” means a ship, boat, or other craft built for travelling on water (or, more loosely, air or space). In plain terms, a general word for a ship, or for any container that holds liquid — also used for tubes that carry fluid in the body.
How do you pronounce “vessel”?
“Vessel” is pronounced VEH-suhl (/ˈvɛsəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “vessel” in a sentence?
Here is “vessel” used in a sentence: “The fishing vessel returned to harbour just before the storm hit.”
What part of speech is “vessel”?
“Vessel” is a noun.
Where does the word “vessel” come from?
The word “vessel” comes from Late Latin. From Old French vaissel, from Late Latin vascellum, "small container" — a diminutive of vas, "vase".
Is “vessel” a common word?
“Vessel” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “vessel” have?
“Vessel” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a ship, boat, or other craft built for travelling on water (or, more loosely, air or space).
What is the difference between a "vessel" and a "ship"?
A ship is one kind of vessel; "vessel" is the broader term covering boats, ships, and other craft built to travel on water. Every ship is a vessel, but not every vessel — such as a small boat or canoe — is called a ship.
When is "vessel" used to mean a container?
"Vessel" describes a hollow container such as a bowl, cup, or bottle used to hold a liquid or other substance. This sense is common in cooking, science, and formal or religious writing rather than casual speech.
Is "vessel" a formal or informal word?
"Vessel" is fairly formal or technical. In everyday conversation people usually say "boat," "ship," "bowl," or "container," reserving "vessel" for nautical, legal, scientific, or literary contexts.