Showing results for slipway. Search instead for slipways.

slipway

American

[slip-way] / ˈslɪpˌweɪ /

noun

Nautical.

(in a shipyard) the area sloping toward the water, on which the ways are located.
marine railway.
a ramp on a factory ship for hauling aboard carcasses of whales for processing.

slipway British

/ ˈslɪpˌweɪ /

noun

the sloping area in a shipyard, containing the ways
Also called: marine railway. the ways on which a vessel is launched
the ramp of a whaling factory ship
a pillowcase; pillowslip

"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 slipway

First recorded in 1830–40; slip ¹ + way 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:

slipway

"I'm angry because the slipway wasn't cleaned," Louise said.

From BBC ● Mar. 19, 2026

A 3D model of the slipway has also been created to aid research, and the site will be covered with a new layer of soil and topped with timbers in the style of the 1700s.

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2025

A slipway from the 18th Century where ships for Lord Nelson's fleet were built and launched has been excavated by archaeologists.

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2025

Around the same time, the third team launched from the Teal Park slipway near Auckland’s container terminal.

From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2025

You started a marble off at the top, and it rolled round and round, down the slipway on the outside, until it got to the bottom, and then dropped into a chute.

From "I'm the King of the Castle" by Susan Hill

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023