battleship

[bat-l-ship]

noun

1. any of a class of warships that are the most heavily armored and are equipped with the most powerful armament.

2. ship of the line.

battleship

/ ˈbætəlˌʃɪp /

noun

1. a heavily armoured warship of the largest type having many large-calibre guns

2. (formerly) a warship of sufficient size and armament to take her place in the line of battle; ship of the line

Word History and Origins

Origin of battleship¹

An Americanism dating back to 1785–95; battle ¹ + ship ¹

Example Sentences

That September, while I was dreaming about babies, a German battleship opened fire on Polish troops.

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And yet she had been the first English battleship to have gunports and to mount complete batteries of siege artillery—a really key ship in the development process at a time of rapid technological change.

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Takaichi said in the Japanese parliament on 7 November: "If there are battleships and the use of force, no matter how you think about it, it could constitute a survival-threatening situation."

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"If there are battleships and the use of force, no matter how you think about it, it could constitute a survival-threatening situation," Takaichi responded.

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Its blast furnaces refined steel used in U.S. battleships and large-caliber guns.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal