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.

---

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

---

Etymology

Origin of flagship

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

Example Sentences

But the profit surge was almost certainly fueled by its flagship memory-chip segment.

From Barron's

NIO is seeking to use its flagship Firefly brand to expand overseas by emphasizing its cars’ small size and advanced design.

From The Wall Street Journal

South Korea’s Samsung Electronics is expected to report Thursday that quarterly profit more than tripled from the prior year, due to its flagship memory-chip segment.

From Barron's

South Korea’s Samsung Electronics is expected to report Thursday that quarterly profit more than tripled from the prior year, due to its flagship memory-chip segment.

From Barron's

South Korea’s Samsung Electronics is expected to report Thursday that quarterly profit more than tripled from the prior year, due to its flagship memory-chip segment.

From Barron's

Related Words

• bellwether
• crown jewel