"frigate" Definition

Definitions for the word "frigate" from multiple English dictionaries.

1. n.
Originally, a vessel of the Mediterranean propelled by sails and by oars. The French, about 1650, transferred the name to larger vessels, and by 1750 it had been appropriated for a class of war vessels intermediate between corvettes and ships of the line. Frigates, from about 1750 to 1850, had one full battery deck and, often, a spar deck with a lighter battery. They carried sometimes as many as fifty guns. After the application of steam to navigation steam frigates of largely increased size and power were built, and formed the main part of the navies of the world till about 1870, when the introduction of ironclads superseded them.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
2. n.
Any small vessel on the water.
Source: The 1913 Webster Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
3. n.
1 naval escort-vessel. 2 hist. Warship. [french from italian]
Source: Oxford English Dictionary, 1884

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Additional Info
This page provides a list of definitions and meanings for "frigate" from various historical English dictionaries. By displaying multiple definitions, you can compare and contrast different meanings and nuances of a word, phrase, or slang. You can also see the changes in meaning of "frigate" over time by viewing the definitions from different dictionaries published at different times in history. The page also includes other information to help users expand their vocabulary and understand the context of the word.

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