ship

1 of 4

noun

ˈship 

plural ships

often attributive

1

a

: a large seagoing vessel

b

: a sailing vessel having a bowsprit and usually three masts each composed of a lower mast, a topmast, and a topgallant mast

2

: boat

especially : one propelled by power or sail

3

: a ship's crew

4

: fortune sense 2

when their ship comes in they'll be able to live in better style

5

: airship, airplane, spacecraft

see also take ship

ship

2 of 4

verb (1)

shipped; shipping; ships

transitive verb

1

a

: to place or receive on board a ship for transportation by water

b

: to cause to be transported

shipped him off to prep school

2

obsolete : to provide with a ship

3

: to put in place for use

ship the tiller

4

: to take into a ship or boat

ship the gangplank

5

: to engage for service on a ship

6

: to take (water) over the side

—used of a boat or a ship

intransitive verb

1

: to embark on a ship

2

a

: to go or travel by ship

—often used with out

b

: to proceed by ship or other means under military orders

—often used with out

3

: to engage to serve on shipboard

4

: to be sent for delivery

the order will ship soon

shippable

ˈshi-pə-bəl 

adjective

ship

3 of 4

verb (2)

shipped; shipping; ships

transitive verb

informal

: to wishfully regard (specific people or fictional characters) as being or having the potential to become romantically involved with one another

Naturally, their followers gushed … and started shipping them all over again. "Please be back together," one user commented …

—Alyssa Morin

The Office's on-and-off pairing remained so tantalizingly close after the series wrapped in 2013 that even [Mindy] Kaling gets why people are still shipping them.

—Sarah Grossbart

Sean Astin, who portrayed Bob Newby, the love interest of Ryder's character, Joyce Byers, in season 2, told Us Weekly exclusively earlier this month that he hopes Jim and Joyce will end up together. "I've shipped them since the beginning," the 49-year-old declared.

—Samantha Leffler

One close friendship does develop between two girls, and while fans of other Dreamworks shows like She-Ra and the Princesses of Power may start shipping them, budding romance at this point is only wishful thinking.

—Alana Joli Abbott

How does one even begin to write about Anne and Diana? … Megan Followes herself ships them.

—Danny M. Lavery

-ship

4 of 4

noun suffix

1

: state : condition : quality

friendship

2

: office : dignity : profession

clerkship

3

: art : skill

horsemanship

4

: something showing, exhibiting, or embodying a quality or state

township

fellowship

5

: one entitled to a (specified) rank, title, or appellation

his Lordship

6

: the body of persons participating in a specified activity

readership

listenership

Synonyms

Noun

• boat
• keel
• vessel

Verb (1)

• consign
• dispatch
• pack (off)
• send
• shoot
• transfer
• transmit
• transport

Examples of ship in a Sentence

Noun

the captain of the ship

He will travel by ship.

Verb (1)

The goods were shipped from a foreign port.

Your order is expected to ship soon.

The company will ship its new software next month.

The software will ship next month.

The soldiers were shipped overseas for duty.

When the waves increased, the boat began shipping water.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Many ships have also opted to sail only during daylight hours to avoid nighttime risks. —CNBC, 25 June 2025

The ship has 11 decks, three pools (including an adults-only pool), a spa, a sports deck, and 875 staterooms ranging from cozy to spacious two-bedroom suites. —Ronny Maye, Essence, 24 June 2025

Verb

Nobody admits that all this activity serves as cover for avoiding the work that scares us: making real decisions, shipping imperfect products, having difficult conversations. —Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025

At the time, the company had 389 employees and shipped 186 packages to 25 American cities, according to CNN. —David Chiu, People.com, 25 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English scip; akin to Old High German skif ship

Verb (2)

verbal derivative of ship "romantic pairing of a fictional couple," shortened from relationship

Noun suffix

Middle English, from Old English -scipe; akin to Old High German -scaft -ship, Old English scieppan to shape — more at shape

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Verb (2)

1998, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing ship

• anti-ship
• container ship
• cruise ship
• dress ship
• drop-ship
• factory ship
• free alongside ship
• jump ship
• merchant ship
• mother ship
• motor ship
• Q-ship
• rocket ship
• run a tight ship
• sailing ship
• ship biscuit
• ship of state
• ship of the line
• ship out
• ship's papers
• someone's ship comes in
• take ship
• tall ship
• waiting for her ship to come in
• weather ship

Rhymes for ship

• blip
• chip
• clip
• dip
• drip
• flip
• airship
• airstrip
• clerkship
• courtship
• equip
• filmstrip

Kids Definition

ship

1 of 3 noun

ˈship 

1

: a large seagoing boat

2

: a ship's crew

3

: airship, airplane, spacecraft

ship

2 of 3 verb

shipped; shipping

1

a

: to place or receive on board a ship for transportation by water

b

: to cause to be transported

had her boxes shipped home

2

: to take into a ship or boat

ship oars

3

: to sign on as a crew member of a ship

4

: to take in (as water) over the side

-ship

3 of 3 noun suffix

ˌship

1

: state : condition : quality

friendship

apprenticeship

2

: position : office : duties

professorship

3

: art : skill : activity

horsemanship

penmanship

4

: one having or entitled to be called by a (specified) title

his Lordship

her Ladyship

5

: the whole body of persons included in a class

a large readership

Etymology

Noun suffix

Old English -scipe "condition, something having a certain quality"