frigate

UK: /ˈfrɪgət/ US: /ˈfrɪgɪt/ ,(frig′it)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

frig•ate /ˈfrɪgɪt/   n. [countable]

1. Nautical, Naval Terms a fast ship of the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
2. Military a modern warship smaller than a destroyer.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

frig•ate  (frig′it), n. 

1. Nautical, Naval Terms a fast naval vessel of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, generally having a lofty ship rig and heavily armed on one or two decks.
2. Military, Nautical any of various types of modern naval vessels ranging in size from a destroyer escort to a cruiser, frequently armed with guided missiles and used for aircraft carrier escort duty, shore bombardment, and miscellaneous combat functions.

• Italian fregata, Sicilian fragata ( Spanish, Catalan, Portuguese); of obscure origin, originally
• Middle French frégate
• 1575–85

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

frigate / ˈfrɪɡɪt/ noun

1. a medium-sized square-rigged warship of the 18th and 19th centuries
2. a warship larger than a corvette and smaller than a destroyer
3. (formerly) a warship larger than a destroyer and smaller than a cruiser
4. a small escort vessel

Etymology: 16th Century: from French frégate, from Italian fregata, of unknown origin