vas
1 Americannoun
plural
vasacombining form
noun
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
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Estudia física porque así te vas a formar bien como científica”, recuerda Claudia que Julio le dijo.
From Science Magazine • May 8, 2024
For this investigation, the researchers from the Institute of Agricultural Sciences used samples of testicles, epididymis and vas deferens from 118 freshly slaughtered bulls of reproductive age.
From Science Daily • Feb. 16, 2024
A vasectomy blocks the vas deferens, the tubes that are the highway for sperm between the testes and penis.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 2, 2023
“Me duele que no vas a poder ver a mi hija.”
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 26, 2021
Half the hamper vas home-canned fruit: tomatoes and pickled peaches.
From "A Long Way from Chicago" by Richard Peck
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
