battleship

American  

[bat-l-ship] / ˈbæt lˌʃɪp /

noun

1. any of a class of warships that are the most heavily armored and are equipped with the most powerful armament.

2. ship of the line.

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battleship British  

/ ˈbætəlˌʃɪp /

noun

1. a heavily armoured warship of the largest type having many large-calibre guns

2. (formerly) a warship of sufficient size and armament to take her place in the line of battle; ship of the line

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Etymology

Origin of battleship

An Americanism dating back to 1785–95; battle ¹ + ship ¹

Compare meaning

How does battleship compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• dreadnought vs. battleship

Explanation

A battleship is a very large, seagoing military vessel. A battleship is prepared for war, being protected by heavy armor and equipped with guns. Today's modern military doesn't often use battleships — you're more likely to find a battleship in a harbor being explored by tourists. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, battleships were the most modern, powerful kind of boat on the water, and they were used during both World Wars by various countries' navies. The game Battleship, which shares a name with these warships, has been around in one form or another since the 1930s.

Example Sentences

Trump said at a news conference announcing the battleship that the construction of the first of the vessels, the USS Defiant, would begin soon, with the first ships operational in two-and-a-half years.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

Gen. Billy Mitchell, who led American air forces during World War I, staged a famous demonstration off the Virginia coast for Navy brass in 1921 with the captured German battleship Ostfriesland as the target.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 1, 2026

They also would be about half the size of the largest battleship ever built, Japan’s Yamato, which displaced 72,000 tons.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 1, 2026

This matters because the cutter and battleship could divert resources and focus from crucial priorities such as more stealthy submarines.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 25, 2025

And a British battleship shelled and destroyed a Turkish fort guarding the Dardanelles, the narrow sea channel leading from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea and Russia beyond.

From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman