corvette

noun

cor·​vette kȯr-ˈvet How to pronounce corvette (audio)
1
: a warship ranking in the old sailing navies next below a frigate
2
: a highly maneuverable armed escort ship that is smaller than a destroyer

Examples of corvette in a Sentence

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.
According to Anton Gerashchenko, a former advisor to the interior ministry in Kyiv, the explosion damaged three ships, including two Gepard-class frigates—the fleet’s biggest ships—as well as a smaller Buyan corvette. David Axe, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024 The real showstopper here is the life-sized pink corvette parked on the fourth floor of the museum, which guests can sit inside for a selfie. Nadja Sayej, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024 Its maritime arm dispatched frigates and corvettes to patrol the coastal waters with little event. Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2024 In the past decade, the PLA Navy has also made major advances in corvette construction, built eight destroyers, and completed the aircraft carriers Shandong and Fujian. Seth G. Jones, Foreign Affairs, 2 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for corvette 

Word History

Etymology

French, from Middle French, probably from Middle Dutch corf, a kind of ship, literally, basket — more at corf

First Known Use

1636, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of corvette was in 1636

Dictionary Entries Near corvette

Cite this Entry

“Corvette.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/corvette. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

corvette

noun
cor·​vette kȯr-ˈvet How to pronounce corvette (audio)
1
: an armed naval sailing ship
2
: an armed escort ship that is small and fast

More from Merriam-Webster on corvette

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!