lightship

American  

[lahyt-ship] / ˈlaɪtˌʃɪp /

noun

1. a ship anchored in a specific location and displaying or flashing a very bright light for the guidance of ships, as in avoiding dangerous areas. LS

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lightship British  

/ ˈlaɪtˌʃɪp /

noun

1. a ship equipped as a lighthouse and moored where a fixed structure would prove impracticable

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Etymology

Origin of lightship

First recorded in 1830–40; light ¹ + ship ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lightship

It’s a lightship – a ship that acts as a lighthouse and marks the start of British waters.

From The Guardian ● Sep. 23, 2020

On the south coast the Royal Sovereign lightship witnessed an average wind speed of 86mph.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2017

He mounted campaigns to save historic vessels moored at South Street, including the lightship Ambrose, the four-masted barque Peking and the sailing ship Wavertree.

From New York Times ● Mar. 28, 2016

Everybody else was on the ground, between the Peking and the lightship Ambrose, facing the stage, with the East River beyond it.

From The New Yorker ● Jul. 14, 2014

A lightship with twin beacons glides past as America recedes; ahead wait the great glittering prairies of the Atlantic.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr