longship

noun

long·​ship ˈlȯŋ-ˌship How to pronounce longship (audio)
: a long sail and oar ship used by the Vikings

Examples of longship 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.
Link sits at the helm of a magical longship, and the oceans spread out in front of him. — Luke Winkie, Vulture, 18 June 2025 Nobody has more sailings to choose from than Viking, which has some 80 longships plying the continent. — Jeri Clausing, AFAR Media, 26 Feb. 2025 To a discordant blare of horns, a second, much larger longship rises from beneath the river’s surface. — Nat Segnit, Harpers Magazine, 21 Apr. 2026 The team staged an official photograph at the mouth of a fjord, with three longships and the players dressed like Norse warriors; Haaland held a sword. — Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for longship

Word History

First Known Use

1770, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of longship was in 1770

Browse Nearby Words

longshanks
longship
longshore
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Longship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/longship. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

longship

noun
long·​ship -ˌship How to pronounce longship (audio)
: a long sail and oar ship used by the Vikings

More from Merriam-Webster on longship

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about longship

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