'vessel-damaging' is a modern English compound formed from 'vessel' + 'damaging'. 'vessel' originates from Old French (borrowed into Middle English) ultimately from Latin 'vas' / 'vasis', where 'vas' meant 'container' or 'receptacle'. 'damaging' derives from 'damage', which comes from Old French 'damage', ultimately from Latin 'damnum', where 'damnum' meant 'loss' or 'harm'.

'vessel-damaging' developed in Modern English by compounding the noun 'vessel' and the present-participle/adjectival form 'damaging' (from the verb 'damage'). 'vessel' entered English via Old French into Middle English and 'damage' entered via Old French from Latin 'damnum'; the two elements were combined in current English usage to create a descriptive compound.

Initially the component words meant 'container' (for 'vessel') and 'loss/harm' (for 'damage'); combined in modern usage they specifically describe something that causes harm to a vessel (literal ships/boats or biological blood vessels).