'vessel-destroying' originates from modern English as a compound of the noun 'vessel' and the present-participial adjective 'destroying'. 'Vessel' in English comes from Latin 'vas, vasis' (via Old French/Anglo-Norman), meaning 'container' or 'receptacle', and 'destroy' traces to Latin 'destruere' (de- 'completely' + struere 'to build/heap up') via Old French 'destruire'.

'vessel' developed in English from Old French/Anglo-Norman forms derived from Latin 'vas, vasis'; 'destruere' passed into Old French as 'destruire' and into Middle English as 'destroyen' before becoming modern 'destroy'. The compound formation 'noun + -ing' (e.g., 'vessel-destroying') is a productive modern English pattern used to form descriptive adjectives.

The individual roots originally meant 'container' (vessel) and 'to tear down or ruin' (destroy). Over time, combining them in modern English produced a descriptive term meaning 'causing destruction of vessels' (applied to ships, containers, or biological vessels depending on context).