dreadnought means A battleship, especially of the World War I era, in which most of the firepower is concentrated in large guns that are of the same caliber. It carries an Arena rating of 1378, earned across 3 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, dreadnought ranks #408 of 17,149 for Most Exacting Words, #453 of 17,126 for Most Satisfying to Say, #692 of 17,142 for Most Ingenious Words, #1,162 of 17,127 for Words That Escaped Their Books.
dreadnought is pronounced /ˈdɹɛd.nɔːt/.
Why “dreadnought” is a great word
DREADNOUGHT — [Noun] A type of battleship, especially of the early 20th century, characterized by a main armament consisting entirely of large guns of the same caliber. Named after HMS *Dreadnought* (launched 1906), the first battleship of this revolutionary type; the ship's name is a compound of the English words *dread* ("fear") and *nought* ("nothing"), meaning "one who fears nothing." Unlike "battleship" (a general term for any large, armored warship) or "pre-dreadnought" (an obsolete type with a mixed battery), the dreadnought is the specific, paradigm-shifting artifact of an arms race. It is the gray steel leviathan cleaving a cold sea, the synchronized thunder of ten identical guns, and the instant obsolescence of every rival fleet upon its launch. A single word that became an era, and then a monument to its own inevitable surpassing.
Etymology
Named after HMS Dreadnought, the first battleship finished of this type, itself named for Etymology 2.
noun
- A battleship, especially of the World War I era, in which most of the firepower is concentrated in large guns that are of the same caliber.
- A battleship, especially of the World War I era, in which most of the firepower is concentrated in large guns that are of the same caliber.; Any type of warship heavier in armour or armament than a typical battleship.
- One that is the largest or the most powerful of its kind.e.g.“Herbert steering the dreadnought limousine through the night, black cap on his black head.” — 1963, J P Donleavy, A Singular Man, published 1963 (USA), page 278:
- One that is the largest or the most powerful of its kind.; A type of acoustic guitar with a very large body and a waist that is less pronounced than on other guitar shapes, producing a deep, bold sound.
- One that is the largest or the most powerful of its kind.; A garment made of thick woollen cloth that can defend against storm and cold.e.g.“"Much obliged to you, ma'am!" says Mr. Guppy, divesting himself of his wet dreadnought in the hall.” — 1853, Charles Dickens, chapter 7, in Bleak House:
- One that is the largest or the most powerful of its kind.; The cloth itself; fearnaught.
- One that fears nothing.e.g.““Lift up your head and your heart, O King. We must follow after this dreadnought, hard on her tracks.”” — 1961, Norma Lorre Goodrich, “Beowulf”, in The Medieval Myths, New York: The New American Library, page 35:
- Something that assures against fear.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- superdreadnought 71% match — A battleship of a class more powerful than the earlier dreadnoughts. vs dreadnought →
- battleship 62% match — A large capital warship displacing thousands to tens of thousands of tons, heavily armoured and armed with large-caliber guns; now obsolescent and replaced by smaller vessels with guided missiles. vs dreadnought →
- battlecruiser 57% match — A fast warship with thicker armor and heavier guns than a typical cruiser, but with armor, armament, or both still inferior to that of a dreadnought battleship; designed to act as an advanced scout of the battle fleet and to destroy enemy cruisers. vs dreadnought →
- battleshippy 54% match — Of, pertaining to, or resembling a battleship. vs dreadnought →
- warship 53% match — Any ship built or armed for naval combat. vs dreadnought →
- dreadworthy 49% match — Worthy of being dreaded. vs dreadnought →
- gunnage 48% match — The number of guns carried by a warship. vs dreadnought →
- armada 48% match — A fleet of warships, especially with reference to the Spanish Armada. vs dreadnought →