Vessels: meaning, definitions and examples

This term is broadly used for any object that can navigate on water, including boats, ships, and other watercraft.

• The port is full of various vessels, from small fishing boats to large cargo ships.
• All crew members must ensure the vessel is ready for departure.

Ships are typically larger than boats and often used for commercial, military, or long-distance travel purposes.

• The cruise ship can accommodate thousands of passengers on its journey.
• Naval ships patrolled the waters to ensure safety.

Boats are usually smaller watercraft, often used for personal or recreational purposes. They can also include small fishing vessels and lifeboats.

• We spent the afternoon rowing the boat on the lake.
• The fishermen returned to shore after a long day at sea in their small boat.

Crafts can refer to various types of boats and ships, emphasizing the construction or the type. It can also be used for smaller or specialized vessels.

• The bay was dotted with several sailing crafts enjoying the afternoon breeze.
• Specialized crafts were used to transport goods through the narrow canals.

Used to describe containers or ships, but in medical terms, it refers to blood vessels in the body.

• The heart pumps blood through blood vessels
• The ship was an old but sturdy vessel

Generally refers to cylindrical containers or structures, often found in both everyday and technical contexts.

• She squirted the glue from a tube
• The engineers inspected the tubes in the boiler system

Used in a medical or technical context to describe passages that carry fluids, such as air or liquids.

• The bile duct carries bile from the liver to the small intestine
• The air ducts in the house need cleaning

Refers to man-made channels for water or in medical terms, can describe tubes in the body.

• The Panama Canal connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
• The ear canal can sometimes get blocked