frigate

IPA: frˈɪgʌt

(nautical) Any of several types of warship:
(historical) A sailing warship (of any size) built for speed and maneuverability; typically without raised upperworks, having a flush forecastle and tumblehome sides.
(historical) A sailing warship with a single continuous gun deck, typically used for patrolling and blockading duties, but not considered large enough for the line of battle.
(historical) A warship combining sail and steam propulsion, typically of ironclad timber construction, supplementing and superseding sailing ships of the line at the beginning of the development of the ironclad battleship.
(historical) An escort warship, smaller than a destroyer, introduced in World War 2 as an anti-submarine vessel.
A modern type of warship, equivalent in size or smaller than a destroyer, often focused on anti-submarine warfare, but sometimes general purpose.
(fiction) A warship or space warship, inspired by one of the many historic varieties of frigate.
A frigatebird (Fregata spp.).

Examples of "frigate" in Sentences

The General said, "A frigate is already ordered by the Admiral."
"She's the _Ione_, sir, or I don't know a frigate from a Dutch dogger."
South Africa says the frigate is a support vessel with no military purpose.
In the first sentence, the ship is described as a frigate, which has a pretty strong military connotation.
"They must be, I suspect, from your account of them, Walter, cormorants, or rather that species of them known as the frigate-bird."
But, South African officials say the frigate is a support vessel with no military purpose, which could be used as a neutral site for negotiating.
The Neustrashimy (Fearless) missile frigate is tasked with protecting Russian vessels, and foreign ships with Russian crew members, from potential pirate attacks.
Until the late 19th century the term frigate used to relate to a fast, medium-sized warship that was used for general tasks like scouting, patrolling and commerce raiding.