ferry

1 of 2

verb

fer·​ry ˈfer-ē How to pronounce ferry (audio)
ˈfe-rē
ferried; ferrying
Synonyms of ferrynext

transitive verb

1
a
: to carry by boat over a body of water
b
: to cross by a ferry
2
a
: to convey (as by aircraft or motor vehicle) from one place to another : transport
b
: to fly (an airplane) from the factory or other shipping point to a designated delivery point or from one base to another

intransitive verb

: to cross water in a boat

ferry

2 of 2

noun

plural ferries
1
: a place where persons or things are carried across a body of water (such as a river) in a boat
2
3
: a franchise or right to operate a ferry service across a body of water
4
: an organized service and route for flying airplanes especially across a sea or continent for delivery to the user

Examples of ferry in a Sentence

Verb The cars were ferried across the river. They ferry supplies to the island. Noun Ferries to both islands depart daily. You can get there by ferry. We'll meet you at the ferry.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
In late November, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which ferries 80% of all Kazakh oil supplies from Kazakhstan to the Black Sea, said it had been attacked twice in four days. Vasco Cotovio, CNN Money, 11 Dec. 2025 Pack your passport and take a two-hour drive from the park to the Rio Grande, where a tiny boat waits to ferry you to Mexico. Carrie Dennis, Travel + Leisure, 4 Dec. 2025
Noun
Another is the Tsawwassen First Nation (TWA) Reservation, located in a coastal region south of Vancouver in British Columbia, stretching to Point Roberts in Washington state, which operates a ferry along a major smuggling corridor. Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 12 Dec. 2025 The ferry, however, is currently docked and inoperable—though the duo hasn't lost their sense of humor about the situation, even joking about it on SNL's Weekend Update. Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 9 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ferry

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English ferien, from Old English ferian to carry, convey; akin to Old English faran to go — more at fare

First Known Use

Verb

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

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of ferry was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ferry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ferry. Accessed 17 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

ferry

1 of 2 verb
fer·​ry ˈfer-ē How to pronounce ferry (audio)
ferried; ferrying
1
a
: to carry by boat over a body of water
b
: to cross by a ferry
2
a
: to carry (as by aircraft or motor vehicle) from one place to another
b
: to deliver (an airplane) by flying it to its destination

ferry

2 of 2 noun
plural ferries
1
: a place where persons or things are ferried
2

More from Merriam-Webster on ferry

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