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Synonyms

freighter

American  
[frey-ter] / ˈfreɪ tər /

noun

  1. a vessel used mainly for carrying cargo.

  2. a large aircraft or spacecraft used primarily for transporting cargo and equipment.

    The space station of the future will be supplied by robot freighters.

  3. a person whose occupation it is to receive and forward freight.

  4. a person for whom freight is transported; shipper.


freighter British  
/ ˈfreɪtə /

noun

  1. a ship or aircraft designed for transporting cargo

  2. a person concerned with the loading or chartering of a ship

"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 freighter

First recorded in 1615–25; freight + -er 1

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.

See Examples For:

He said these included a French ship and a freighter from the UK.

From BBC Apr. 19, 2026

Consider the March 1942 sinking of the British freighter Induna.

From The Wall Street Journal Jan. 2, 2026

In one operation about 35 nautical miles from the small island of Gavdos, off Crete, a coastguard vessel, a Danish freighter and a helicopter took 365 people off a fishing boat, according to the agency.

From Barron's Dec. 26, 2025

The freighter was quickly unloaded and flew back to China carrying only empty pallets.

From The Wall Street Journal Dec. 18, 2025

Hato in St Anna Channel She was a small Dutch freighter with a high bow and stem, and a bridge house in the middle between two well decks.

From "The Cay" by Theodore Taylor

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