capital ship

American  

noun

1. one of a class of the largest warships; a battleship, battle cruiser, or aircraft carrier.

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capital ship British  

noun

1. one of the largest and most heavily armed ships in a naval fleet

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Etymology

Origin of capital ship

First recorded in 1680–90

Example Sentences

Winston Churchill once said that nothing frightened him more during World War II than the German submarines stalking the North Atlantic, menacing Allied convoys and sinking capital ships.

From The Wall Street Journal

You could outfit your fighter to be more effective against capital ships, or you could tweak your bomber to be more effective against other starfighters.

From The Verge

Additionally, the 2.6 update brings a host of other useful updates to No Man’s Sky, including improved lighting effects, new items, and better inventory and customization options for player’s capital ships.

From The Verge

"Paul Allen was particularly interested in historically significant and capital ships, so this mission and discovery honor his legacy."

From Fox News

"Lexington was on our priority list because she was one of the capital ships that was lost during WWII," Vulcan spokesman Robert Kraft said.

From BBC