vas

¹

[vas]

noun

Anatomy, Zoology, Botany.

plural

vasa 

1. a vessel or duct.

vas-

²

1. variant of vaso- before a vowel.

   vasectomy.

vas-

¹

combining form

1. a variant of vaso-

vas

²

/ væs /

noun

1. anatomy zoology a vessel, duct, or tube that carries a fluid

Word History and Origins

Origin of vas¹

First recorded in 1645–55, vas is from the Latin word vās vessel

Word History and Origins

Origin of vas¹

C17: from Latin: vessel

Example Sentences

Calvert, who is learning pottery, holds one of the vases she is making for people who helped her after the fire.

From Los Angeles Times

At the Met, I felt this shift as soon as I walked through the entrance hall and saw the fresh flowers spilling out of the tall ceramic vases.

From Los Angeles Times

Kusaka’s playful forms are most commonly seen in her ceramic pots, vases and vessels, often glazed with bright colors and decorated with whimsical geometric patterns.

From Los Angeles Times

For a year, she had been having furniture, vases, lamps and oil paintings of the ocean delivered to the couple’s San Francisco loft, where they had little room for them.

From Los Angeles Times

Just a month ago, Morris hosted a holiday sale, and people packed the showroom to shop for her midcentury-inspired lamps and vases.

From Los Angeles Times

When To Use

What does vas- mean?

Vas- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “vessel,” typically referring to blood vessels, such as veins and arteries. It is often used in medical terms, especially in anatomy.In some instances, vas- specifically refers to the vas deferens, the duct that carries sperm to the penis.Vas- is a variant of vaso-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels.Want to know more? Read our Words That Use vaso- article.Vas- comes from the Latin vās, meaning “vessel.” The Latin vās is also the source of the word vase, which is, after all, a type of vessel—often for flowers! And the diminutive form of vās is vāsculum, literally “little vessel”; it’s the source of the word vascular, commonly encountered in cardiovascular.Learn more about cardio- at our Words That Use cardio- and Words That Use cardi- articles.