Dreadnought

Alternative forms

• dreadnaught

Origin

Named after HMS Dreadnought (1906), the first battleship finished of this type, from dread + nought

Full definition of dreadnought

Noun

1. 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.
2. (informal) a type of warship heavier in armour or armament than a typical battleship
3. One that is the largest or the most powerful of its kind.
4. A garment made of thick woollen cloth that can defend against storm and cold.
5. The cloth itself; fearnaught.

Derived terms

• super dreadnought