What does "lightship" mean?

A ship riding at anchor and displaying a light for the guidance of sailors, in a position where a fixed lighthouse structure would be impracticable.

What is a synonym for "lightship"?

Common synonyms include: beacon, bench mark, cairn, freighter, landmark, light.

noun

noun ·2 syllables ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Noun

1
A ship riding at anchor and displaying a light for the guidance of sailors, in a position where a fixed lighthouse structure would be impracticable.
"Near-synonyms: lightvessel (usually synonymous), lightboat"
2
a ship equipped like a lighthouse and anchored where a permanent lighthouse would be impracticable wordnet

"Near-synonyms: lightvessel (usually synonymous), lightboat"

From light (noun) + ship (noun). Cognate with Middle Low German lüchteschip (“lightship”), Dutch lichtschip (“lightship”).

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.