vessel
VEH-suhl
Vessel (noun) means a ship, boat, or other craft built for travelling on water (or, more loosely, air or space). Example: “The fishing vessel returned to harbour just before the storm hit.”
noun
1
A ship, boat, or other craft built for travelling on water (or, more loosely, air or space).
"The fishing vessel returned to harbour just before the storm hit."
"A large vessel slowly crossed the bay at sunrise."
"The crew boarded the research vessel early in the morning."
2
A container, such as a bowl, cup, or bottle, used to hold a liquid or other substance.
"Pour the mixture into a clean glass vessel."
"She kept the water in a clay vessel to keep it cool."
"The museum has a tall vessel once used to store oil."
3
A tube inside the body or a plant that carries fluid, such as blood.
"The surgeon carefully repaired the damaged blood vessel."
"A tiny blood vessel burst in his eye after he sneezed."
"Plants have vessels that carry water up from the roots."
How to use vessel
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA general word for a ship, or for any container that holds liquid — also used for tubes that carry fluid in the body.
Common pairings
a fishing vessel
blood vessel
a glass vessel
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Word forms
- Plural
- vessels
- Third person singular
- vessels
- Past tense
- vesseled, vesselled
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The fishing _____ returned to harbour just before the storm hit.
Etymology
From Old French vaissel, from Late Latin vascellum, "small container" — a diminutive of vas, "vase".
Synonyms
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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.
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