minesweeper

American  

[mahyn-swee-per] / ˈmaɪnˌswi pər /

noun

Navy.

1. a specially equipped ship used for dragging a body of water in order to remove or destroy enemy mines.

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minesweeper British  

/ ˈmaɪnˌswiːpə /

noun

1. a naval vessel equipped to detect and clear mines

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Other Word Forms

• minesweeping noun

Etymology

Origin of minesweeper

First recorded in 1900–05; mine ² + sweeper

Example Sentences

Leona Woods Marshall Libby: My brother-in-law was a captain of the first bombs’ minesweeper scheduled into Sasebo harbor.

From Scientific American • Jul. 20, 2023

The newly commissioned included a corvette, a minesweeper and the Generalissimus Suvorov nuclear submarine.

From Washington Times • Dec. 29, 2022

Born in Bristol in 1932, Hodges worked as a chartered accountant and spent two years serving on a Royal Navy minesweeper around fishing ports in the north of England.

From BBC • Dec. 21, 2022

Born in the English port city of Bristol in 1932, Hodges trained as an accountant and did two years of compulsory military service aboard a Royal Navy minesweeper, visiting poor coastal communities around England.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 21, 2022

The “old Fisherman with a Net” was probably a minesweeper.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield