tonnage

noun

ton·​nage ˈtə-nij 

1

a

: the cubical content of a merchant ship in units of 100 cubic feet

b

: the displacement of a warship

2

a

: total weight in tons shipped, carried, or produced

b

: impressively large amount or weight

3

: a duty formerly levied on every tun of wine imported into England

4

a

: a duty or impost on vessels based on cargo capacity

b

: a duty on goods per ton transported

5

: ships in terms of the total number of tons registered or carried or of their carrying capacity

Examples of tonnage in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The figures, which are based on more than 500,000 weekly transactions covered by WorldACD’s data, indicate that global tonnages were relatively stable compared with the previous week, with capacity dipping 1 percent. —Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 1 Apr. 2026

Considered the world's busiest lock system by tonnage, the Soo Locks are vital for transporting iron ore. —Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 25 Mar. 2026

The Suez uses a somewhat complex formula based on the tonnage of each ship, but on average, cargo ships pay $250,000 to cross. —Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 25 Mar. 2026

Viking Libra is classified as a small ship with a gross tonnage of 54,300 tons. —Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 20 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

in sense 3, from Middle English, from Anglo-French, from tonne tun; in other senses, from ton entry 1 — more at tunnel

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for tonnage

• dunnage

Kids Definition

tonnage

noun

ton·​nage ˈtən-ij 

1

: a tax on ships based on tons carried

2

: ships in terms of the total number of tons that are or can be carried

3

: total weight in tons shipped, carried, or mined