corvette

noun

cor·​vette kȯr-ˈvet 

1

: a warship ranking in the old sailing navies next below a frigate

2

: a highly maneuverable armed escort ship that is smaller than a destroyer

Examples of corvette in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

What To Know The Russian Pacific Fleet announced on Monday that two corvettes, the Rezky and the Hero of the Russian Federation Aldar Tsydenzhapov, and a fleet oiler, the Pechenga, have departed from their Far Eastern naval base in the city of Vladivostok for a long voyage. —Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Newsweek, 4 Feb. 2025

Taiwan launched its Kuang Hua VI fast attack missile boats and Tuo Chiang-class corvettes on Thursday in an attempt to deter an invasion from China amid Beijing's ongoing military activity in the Taiwan Strait, according to the AP. —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 11 Jan. 2025

The arrival of the Ufa and Alatau came less than a week after three corvettes and a support vessel of Russia on Thursday as part of their Asia-Pacific deployment. —Ryan Chan, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024

On November 3, 2024, a detachment of ships of the Pacific Fleet consisting of corvettes Gromky, Rezky and Hero of Russia Aldar Tsydenzhapov and support vessel Pechenga arrived on a friendly call at the port of Tanjung Perak in Surabaya. —Ryan Chan, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French, from Middle French, probably from Middle Dutch corf, a kind of ship, literally, basket — more at corf

First Known Use

1636, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

corvette

noun

cor·​vette kȯr-ˈvet 

1

: an armed naval sailing ship

2

: an armed escort ship that is small and fast