tonnage

or tun·nage

[ tuhn-ij ]

/ ˈtʌn ɪdʒ /

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See synonyms for tonnage on Thesaurus.com

noun

the capacity of a merchant vessel, expressed either in units of weight, as deadweight tons, or of volume, as gross tons.

ships collectively considered with reference to their carrying capacity or together with their cargoes.

a duty on ships or boats at so much per ton of cargo or freight, or according to the capacity in tons.

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Origin of tonnage

1375–1425; late Middle English: duty <Old French. See ton¹, -age

Words nearby tonnage

Tonkinese, Tonle Sap, tonlet, ton-mile, tonn., tonnage, tonnage deck, tonne, tonneau, tonner, Tönnies

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use tonnage in a sentence

The exact tonnage of the San Gabriel Mountains, which frame Dodger Stadium in Chavez Ravine, has never been measured.
No asterisk required: These Dodgers were historically great — and legitimate champions|Thomas M. Boswell|October 29, 2020|Washington Post
It was a key reason why the half million U.S. soldiers and massive bomb tonnage could not achieve decisive military victory.
Going Back to Vietnam Is Sometimes Amusing, Often Fraught, and Always Surreal|Jeff Greenfield|March 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
On the negative side, the sheer tonnage of opinions can overwhelm and cause a degree of amnesia.
The Best Columns of the Year|John Avlon|December 31, 2013|DAILY BEAST
His death is not commensurate with the tonnage of human suffering he caused.
The Relief of 9/11 Heroes|John Avlon|May 2, 2011|DAILY BEAST

The tonnage entered in Philippine ports shows a rapid annual increase in five years.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
Old and new measurements, tonnage, time allowances and movable ballast, are all a sealed book to me.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume II (of 3)|Charles James Wills
These vessels, indeed, were of no considerable tonnage; but I confess myself at a loss to guess their object.
Travels through the South of France and the Interior of Provinces of Provence and Languedoc in the Years 1807 and 1808|Lt-Col. Pinkney
This was owing to there still being a tonnage class, A, B and C, the new rating and the length classes.
Yachting Vol. 2|Various.
The object of handicaps is to get sport amongst craft of varied tonnage, class, and build, by giving time allowance.
Yachting Vol. 2|Various.

British Dictionary definitions for tonnage

tonnage

tunnage

/ (ˈtʌnɪdʒ) /

noun

the capacity of a merchant ship expressed in tons, for which purpose a ton is considered as 40 cubic feet of freight or 100 cubic feet of bulk cargo, unless such an amount would weigh more than 2000 pounds in which case the actual weight is used

the weight of the cargo of a merchant ship

the total amount of shipping of a port or nation, estimated by the capacity of its ships

a duty on ships based either on their capacity or their register tonnage

Word Origin for tonnage

C15: from Old French, from tonne barrel

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

tonnage

or tun·nage

Origin of tonnage

Words nearby tonnage

Words related to tonnage

How to use tonnage in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tonnage

tunnage

Word Origin for tonnage