frigate

noun

frig·​ate ˈfri-gət How to pronounce frigate (audio)
1
: a light boat propelled originally by oars but later by sails
2
: a square-rigged war vessel intermediate between a corvette and a ship of the line
3
: a modern warship that is smaller than a destroyer

Did you know?

In the 17th–19th centuries, a frigate was a three-masted, fully rigged sailing ship, often carrying 30–40 guns in all. Smaller and faster than ships of the line (the principal vessels of naval warfare), frigates served as scouts or as escorts protecting merchant convoys; they also cruised the seas as merchant raiders themselves. In World War II, Britain revived the term frigate using it to describe escort ships equipped with sonar and depth charges, and used these ships to guard convoys from submarines. In the postwar decades, the frigate also adopted an antiaircraft role, adding radar and surface-to-air missiles. Modern frigates can sail at a speed of 30 knots and carry a crew of 200.

Examples of frigate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Bellamy and all but two of his crew drowned off Cape Cod in 1717, while Roberts was shot dead by a Royal Navy frigate off Sierra Leone in 1722. Sean Kingsley, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 May 2024 German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius visited the German Navy frigate Hessen, that is taking part in Aspides, while on a trip to the Greek island of Crete last week. Derek Gatopoulos, Quartz, 26 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for frigate 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'frigate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle French, from Old Italian fregata

First Known Use

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of frigate was in 1583

Dictionary Entries Near frigate

Cite this Entry

“Frigate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frigate. Accessed 29 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

frigate

noun
frig·​ate ˈfrig-ət How to pronounce frigate (audio)
1
: a medium-sized square-rigged warship
2
: a modern warship that is smaller than a destroyer and that is used for escort and patrol duties
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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