frigate

American  

[frig-it] / ˈfrɪg ɪt /

noun

1. a fast naval vessel of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, generally having a lofty ship rig and heavily armed on one or two decks.

2. any of various types of modern naval vessels ranging in size from a destroyer escort to a cruiser, frequently armed with guided missiles and used for aircraft carrier escort duty, shore bombardment, and miscellaneous combat functions.

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frigate British  

/ ˈfrɪɡɪt /

noun

1. a medium-sized square-rigged warship of the 18th and 19th centuries

2. 1. a warship larger than a corvette and smaller than a destroyer

   2. (formerly) a warship larger than a destroyer and smaller than a cruiser

   3. a small escort vessel

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Etymology

Origin of frigate

1575–85; < Middle French frégate < Italian fregata, Sicilian fragata (> Spanish, Catalan, Pg); of obscure origin

Compare meaning

How does frigate compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• frigate vs. destroyer
• frigate vs. corvette

Explanation

A frigate is a large boat that's used by a military during wartime. If you join the Navy, you may be assigned to work on a frigate. Ahoy! The word frigate has been used for a variety of seagoing vessels ever since the late 15th century. Over time, it's generally referred to larger and larger boats — the original frigates had oars and sails. One thing most frigates have had in common is maneuverability, or the ability to move with speed and agility. Today's frigate often carries a guided missile launcher.

Example Sentences

The second Type 26 frigate HMS Cardiff is also at Scotstoun, while HMS Belfast is being constructed inside the new huge assembly hall at Govan along with HMS Birmingham.

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026

When an American frigate hit a mine during the so-called Tanker War, the U.S. sent in a force to clear out Iranian positions in the Gulf and destroyed Iranian ships that confronted it.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

The frigate USS Samuel B. Roberts was on a routine convoy escort mission in the Persian Gulf when it struck the mine.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

Sri Lanka will treat Iranian sailors rescued from a torpedoed frigate according to international law, a minister said Saturday, following reports Washington was pressuring Colombo to not repatriate them.

From Barron's • Mar. 7, 2026

Any page now, Aronnax will plunge over the rail of the frigate; not long afterward, he and the Canadian har- pooner Ned Land will find themselves on Captain Nemo’s submarine.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

Related Words

• sailboat
• ship
• vessel
• warship