What does "frigate" mean?
Any of several types of warship:; A sailing warship (of any size) built for speed and maneuverability; typically without raised upperworks, having a flush forecastle and tumblehome sides.
Frigate
noun
noun ·2 syllables ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Any of several types of warship:; A sailing warship (of any size) built for speed and maneuverability; typically without raised upperworks, having a flush forecastle and tumblehome sides.
- Grammar: frigate is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: chesapeake, combat ship, cruiser, escort vessel.
- Useful contrasts: civilian vessel, dreadnoughts, merchant ship.
- Usage evidence: With frigate birds swooping above and the high-speed dorado slicing through the water below, flying fish are, literally, caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.
How to use "frigate"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "frigate" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "frigate" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "frigate" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "frigate" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "frigate" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "chesapeake" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "frigate", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Any of several types of warship:; A sailing warship (of any size) built for speed and maneuverability; typically without raised upperworks, having a flush forecastle and tumblehome sides. historical
- 2 a United States warship larger than a destroyer and smaller than a cruiser wordnet
- 3 Any of several types of warship:; A sailing warship with a single continuous gun deck, typically used for patrolling and blockading duties, but not considered large enough for the line of battle. historical
- 4 a medium size square-rigged warship of the 18th and 19th centuries wordnet
- 5 Any of several types of warship:; A warship combining sail and steam propulsion, typically of ironclad timber construction, supplementing and superseding sailing ships of the line at the beginning of the development of the ironclad battleship. historical
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 Any of several types of warship:; An escort warship, smaller than a destroyer, introduced in World War 2 as an anti-submarine vessel. historical
- 7 Any of several types of warship:; A modern type of warship, equivalent in size or smaller than a destroyer, often focused on anti-submarine warfare, but sometimes general purpose.
- 8 A warship or space warship, inspired by one of the many historic varieties of frigate.
"Frigates are light escort and scouting vessels. They often have extensive GARDIAN systems to provide anti-fighter screening for capital ships, and carry a squad of marines for security and groundside duty. Unlike larger vessels, frigates are able to land on planets."
- 9 A frigatebird (Fregata spp.).
"These frigates are all so lazy, that they perch by day on the trees, at the edge of the sea, awaiting the other birds […]"
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"With frigate birds swooping above and the high-speed dorado slicing through the water below, flying fish are, literally, caught between the devil and the deep blue sea."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "frigate"?
Common synonyms include: chesapeake, combat ship, cruiser, escort vessel, galleon, junk.
How do you use "frigate" in a sentence?
With frigate birds swooping above and the high-speed dorado slicing through the water below, flying fish are, literally, caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.
Etymology
From French frégate, from Italian fregata, of uncertain origin.