flagship

American  

[flag-ship] / ˈflægˌʃɪp /

noun

1. a ship carrying the flag officer or the commander of a fleet, squadron, or the like, and displaying the officer's flag.

2. the main vessel of a shipping company.

3. any of the best or largest ships or airplanes operated by a passenger line.

4. the best or most important one of a group or system.

   This store is the flagship of our retail chain.

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adjective

1. being or constituting a flagship.

flagship British  

/ ˈflæɡˌʃɪp /

noun

1. a ship, esp in a fleet, aboard which the commander of the fleet is quartered

2. the most important ship belonging to a shipping company

3. a single item from a related group considered as the most important, often in establishing a public image

   the nine o'clock news is the flagship of the BBC

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Etymology

Origin of flagship

First recorded in 1665–75; flag ¹ + ship ¹

Example Sentences

Samsung’s Galaxy S26 phones, the company’s flagship lineup, will hit the shelves in the U.S. and other markets on March 11.

From The Wall Street Journal

The analysts call the company a unique asset with high engagement which has doubled revenue per user over the past four years, but caution that it still lags flagship online dating apps in monetization.

From The Wall Street Journal

Farmers in England will continue to be paid for environmental work after the government confirmed details of its flagship green funding scheme, which is being relaunched after its sudden closure.

From BBC

The Future of Everything is The Wall Street Journal’s flagship live event, bringing together the most compelling newsmakers from across every vertical WSJ covers—from finance, technology and economic policy to sports, streaming and style.

From The Wall Street Journal

However, a flagship military editorial accused Zhang of having “seriously trampled on and undermined the system of ultimate responsibility resting with the chairman.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bellwether
• crown jewel