frigate

noun

frig·​ate ˈfri-gət How to pronounce frigate (audio)
1
: a light boat propelled originally by oars but later by sails
2
: a square-rigged war vessel intermediate between a corvette and a ship of the line
3
: a modern warship that is smaller than a destroyer

Did you know?

In the 17th–19th centuries, a frigate was a three-masted, fully rigged sailing ship, often carrying 30–40 guns in all. Smaller and faster than ships of the line (the principal vessels of naval warfare), frigates served as scouts or as escorts protecting merchant convoys; they also cruised the seas as merchant raiders themselves. In World War II, Britain revived the term frigate using it to describe escort ships equipped with sonar and depth charges, and used these ships to guard convoys from submarines. In the postwar decades, the frigate also adopted an antiaircraft role, adding radar and surface-to-air missiles. Modern frigates can sail at a speed of 30 knots and carry a crew of 200.

Examples of frigate 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.
In 1699, a French frigate called the Maurepas sank in the remote San Blas Islands off the coast of Panama, taking a massive trove of treasure down with it. Skye Sherman, Travel + Leisure, 25 June 2025 When Iran mined the strait in 1988, a mine crippled a U.S. Navy frigate, the Samuel B. Roberts. Nicholas D. Kristof, Mercury News, 24 June 2025 Princess Kate was appointed Sponsor of HMS Glasgow in June 2021 and the cutting-edge Type 26 anti-submarine frigate is designed to protect the U.K.'s nuclear deterrent and aircraft carriers. Janine Henni, People.com, 22 May 2025 The frigates feature advanced electronic warfare and sensor suites. Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for frigate

Word History

Etymology

Middle French, from Old Italian fregata

First Known Use

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of frigate was in 1583

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Cite this Entry

“Frigate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frigate. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

frigate

noun
frig·​ate ˈfrig-ət How to pronounce frigate (audio)
1
: a medium-sized square-rigged warship
2
: a modern warship that is smaller than a destroyer and that is used for escort and patrol duties

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