'blood-vessel' originates from English, formed as a compound of 'blood' and 'vessel'; 'blood' comes from Old English 'blōd' and 'vessel' comes via Old French 'vessel' from Latin 'vas, vasis' meaning 'container' or 'vessel'.

'blood-vessel' developed from the Old English word 'blōd' (blood) combined with Middle English/Old French 'vesel'/'vessel' (from Latin 'vas'), evolving into the modern compound 'blood-vessel' or 'blood vessel' in English.

Initially the element 'vessel' primarily meant a container, but by analogy it was applied anatomically to tubes carrying fluids; 'blood-vessel' came to mean specifically a tubular structure carrying blood (artery, vein, capillary).