frigate
Americannoun
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a fast naval vessel of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, generally having a lofty ship rig and heavily armed on one or two decks.
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any of various types of modern naval vessels ranging in size from a destroyer escort to a cruiser, frequently armed with guided missiles and used for aircraft carrier escort duty, shore bombardment, and miscellaneous combat functions.
noun
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a medium-sized square-rigged warship of the 18th and 19th centuries
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a warship larger than a corvette and smaller than a destroyer
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(formerly) a warship larger than a destroyer and smaller than a cruiser
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a small escort vessel
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Etymology
Origin of frigate
1575–85; < Middle French frégate < Italian fregata, Sicilian fragata (> Spanish, Catalan, Pg); of obscure origin
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Explanation
A frigate is a large boat that's used by a military during wartime. If you join the Navy, you may be assigned to work on a frigate. Ahoy! The word frigate has been used for a variety of seagoing vessels ever since the late 15th century. Over time, it's generally referred to larger and larger boats — the original frigates had oars and sails. One thing most frigates have had in common is maneuverability, or the ability to move with speed and agility. Today's frigate often carries a guided missile launcher.
Vocabulary lists containing frigate
Black Swan Green
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The Downstairs Girl
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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.
When an American frigate hit a mine during the so-called Tanker War, the U.S. sent in a force to clear out Iranian positions in the Gulf and destroyed Iranian ships that confronted it.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026
Would Spain be willing to send a frigate to help protect Cyprus, a fellow EU member?
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026
Two Greek frigates and a French naval ship arrived off Cyprus within days of the attack, and Spain also deployed a frigate, as part of a broader response to help their European ally.
From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026
A British naval frigate dispatched in response to the drone strike is on its way to the island.
From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026
This victory hath heartened those upon this frigate greatly.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
