man-of-war
A man whose occupation is fighting in warsA man whose occupation is fighting in wars; a soldier, a warrior.
Meaning
5 sensesA man whose occupation is fighting in wars; a soldier, a warrior.
(historical)A powerful armed naval vessel, primarily one armed with cannon and propelled by sails; a warship.
Kriegsschiff
вое́нный кора́бльvojénnyj koráblʹ
військо́вий корабе́льvijsʹkóvyj korabélʹ
Ellipsis of man-of-war bird or (obsolete) man-of-war hawk (“any of a number of seabirds, especially one which attacks other seabirds to take their food”).
(US, specifically)The Arctic skua (Stercorarius parasiticus).
вое́нныйvojénnyj, военнослу́жащийvojennoslúžaščij
A powerful armed naval vessel, primarily one armed with cannon and propelled by sails; a warship.
(historical, obsolete, rare)In full man-of-war's-man: a sailor serving on board an armed naval vessel.
Ellipsis of man-of-war bird or (obsolete) man-of-war hawk (“any of a number of seabirds, especially one which attacks other seabirds to take their food”).
(archaic, specifically)A frigatebird (family Fregatidae), especially the magnificent frigatebird (Fregata magnificens).
- a warship intended for combat
- large siphonophore having a bladderlike float and stinging tentacles
Translations
7 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 2
By meaning 1
Origin
From Late Middle English man of wer, man of werre (“fighting man, soldier”). It has been sFrom Late Middle English man of wer, man of werre (“fighting man, soldier”). It has been suggested that sense 2 (“powerful armed naval vessel”) derives from the fact that such vessels were manned by men-of-war (“soldiers”; sense 1).
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Forms
plural: men-of-warSynonyms
6 synonyms- a warship intended for combat:ship of the line
- large siphonophore having a bladderlike float and stinging tentacles:Portuguese man-of-warjellyfish
Word family
3 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Plural nouns — Because its plural is irregular