Aorta: The Body's Largest Artery - Function & Importance

The largest blood vessel in the body is the aorta, which is an artery. Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood away from the heart to the rest of the body. Veins are blood vessels that carry deoxygenated blood back to the heart. The aorta is the main artery of the body and it branches off into smaller arteries that supply blood to all of the organs and tissues.