vessel Look up vessel at Dictionary.com
c.1300, "container," from O.Fr. vessel (Fr. vaisseau) from L. vascellum "small vase or urn," also "a ship," dim. of vasculum, itself a dim. of vas "vessel." Sense of "ship, boat" is found in Eng. c.1300. "The association between hollow utensils and boats appears in all languages" [Weekley]. Meaning "canal or duct of the body" (esp. for carrying blood) is attested from late 14c.