battleship

noun

bat·​tle·​ship ˈba-tᵊl-ˌship How to pronounce battleship (audio)
: a warship of the largest and most heavily armed and armored class

Examples of battleship in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Flying feels like dragging your feet through the mud, the edges of the screen blurring to create a non-existent sense of speed when trying to accelerate toward the objective, consisting of four different airborne battleships. Kazuma Hashimoto, Rolling Stone, 31 Mar. 2025 The boot was spotted, like a needle in a haystack, on a pile of chains located near the bow of the 27,500-ton battleship, officials said. Mark Price, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2025 The namesake launched in 1906 was the first of the modern battleships that revolutionized navy ship design and armaments that saw all the world's major navies replaced within a decade. David Szondy, New Atlas, 23 Mar. 2025 Catch up quick: The battleship — at the time considered the most powerful weapon in the world — was commissioned in 1914 and retired in 1948 when it was docked at the San Jacinto site as a museum. Jay R. Jordan, Axios, 10 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for battleship

Word History

Etymology

short for line-of-battle ship

First Known Use

1794, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of battleship was in 1794

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Battleship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/battleship. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

battleship

noun
bat·​tle·​ship ˈbat-ᵊl-ˌship How to pronounce battleship (audio)
: a large warship with heavy armor and large guns

More from Merriam-Webster on battleship

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