capital ship

American

noun

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

capital ship British

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of capital ship

First recorded in 1680–90

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The Russian capital ship the Moskva was sunk in the Black Sea by a Neptune antiship missile.

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2023

Two teams go head to head with the ultimate goal of taking down the other’s capital ship.

From The Verge • Oct. 9, 2020

They keep the frontline away from your capital ship while also providing a resupply point during the attack phases.

From The Verge • Oct. 9, 2020

By gad, Sir, none of your dashed bombers has ever sunk a modern capital ship and they haven't taken Madrid.

From Time Magazine Archive

We had a good voyage, in a capital ship, and under the charge of as good a captain as ever sailed the ocean.

From Young Americans Abroad Vacation in Europe: Travels in England, France, Holland, Belgium, Prussia and Switzerland by Choules, J.O.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023