Word
steamship
US/ˈstimˌʃɪp/
UK/stˈiːmʃɪp/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a large ship that moves using power from a steam engine. These were very common in the 1800s and early 1900s for carrying people and goods across the ocean.
n. a large vessel propelled by a steam engine, typically driving a paddle wheel or propeller. Historically significant for enabling reliable transoceanic travel regardless of wind conditions.
Examples
“The steamship crossed the Atlantic in record time.”
“Before the invention of modern jet engines, the steamship was the primary way for immigrants to travel to the Americas.”
“The transition from sail to the steamship revolutionized global trade by allowing merchants to maintain strict delivery schedules that were previously impossible due to unpredictable weather patterns.”
Examples
simple
“The steamship crossed the Atlantic in record time.”
contextual
“Before the invention of modern jet engines, the steamship was the primary way for immigrants to travel to the Americas.”
complex
“The transition from sail to the steamship revolutionized global trade by allowing merchants to maintain strict delivery schedules that were previously impossible due to unpredictable weather patterns.”
Real-World Examples
“At the time, steamships and the printing press enabled people and ideas to travel farther and faster across the globe than ever before.” “The last recorded images of the children date to May 1918, when they were photographed on board the steamship transporting them to the city.” Etymology
From steam + ship.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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