Pl. vasa. [L. vās (pl. vāsa), vessel.]
1. a. Anat. A hollow organ serving for the conveyance of a liquid in the body.
Commonly in specific applications with Latin epithet, as vas breve, deferens, vasa brevia, deferentia, etc., or used ellipt. for one or other of these.
1651. Biggs, New Disp., ¶ 174. Exhausting the stock of aliment from the vasa and viscera.
1900. R. Harrison in Lancet, 14 July, 96/2. I divided both his vasa in the usual way. Ibid., 97/2. Vasectomy or torsion of the vas for hypertrophy.
b. Bot. (See quots.)
Commonly with Latin epithet, as vasa fibrosa, etc.
1843. Penny Cycl., XXVI. 148/2. Vasa (vessels),… a term applied to several of the tissues of plants.
1866. Treas. Bot., 1205/1. Vasa, the tubes which occur in the interior of plants, and serve for the conveyance of sap or air.
† 2. A vase. Obs. rare. (Cf. next.)
1698. M. Lister, Journ. Paris (1699), 43. Brass Statues and Vasa, and a 100 other things relating to Antiquity. Ibid., 45. Uros and Funeral Vasa of all Materials.
