# vessel

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈvɛs.əl/ · frequency rank #4,565

## Definitions
1. A craft for transportation on or in water, air, or space.
2. A craft for transportation on or in water, air, or space.
3. Dishes and cutlery collectively, especially if made of precious metals.
4. A container of liquid or other substance, such as a glass, goblet, cup, bottle, bowl, or pitcher.
5. A person as a container of qualities or feelings.
6. A tube or canal that carries fluid in an animal or plant.

## Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Italic *wāss
Late Latin vās
Proto-Indo-European *-lós
Proto-Italic *-elom
Late Latin -ulum
Late Latin -culum
Late Latin vāsculum
Proto-Indo-European *-lós
Proto-Italic *-elos
Late Latin -lus
Late Latin vāscellum
Old French vaisselbor.
Middle English vessel
English vessel
Inherited from Middle English vessel, vessell (“small container”); from Old French vaissel (compare modern French vaisseau and Catalan vaixell), from Late Latin vāscellum, diminutive of vāsculum, diminutive of vās (“vase, vessel”).

## Easily confused with
- **vested** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/vessel-vs-vested)
- **Vettel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/vessel-vs-vettel)
- **vessels** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/vessel-vs-vessels)
- **verse** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/verse-vs-vessel)
- **verses** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/verses-vs-vessel)
- **versed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/versed-vs-vessel)
- **vassal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/vassal-vs-vessel)

## Common misspellings (7)
`evssel`, `vesel`, `vesesl`, `vessell`, `vessle`, `vsesel`, `vvessel`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/vessel