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• vas
  vas

  noun

  a vessel or duct.
• vas-
  vas-

  variant of vaso- before a vowel.

vas

¹ American  

[vas] / væs /

noun

Anatomy, Zoology, Botany.

plural

vasa

1. a vessel or duct.

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vas- ² American  

1. variant of vaso- before a vowel.

   vasectomy.

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vas- ¹ British  

combining form

1. a variant of vaso-

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vas ² British  

/ væs /

noun

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

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Usage

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.

Etymology

Origin of vas

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