Dreadnaught (Noun)
Meaning
Battleship that has big guns all of the same caliber.
Classification
Nouns denoting man-made objects.
Examples
- The dreadnaught revolutionized naval warfare with its main battery of ten 12-inch guns.
- By the mid-20th century, the dreadnaught had become an outdated concept, replaced by aircraft carriers and submarines.
- The Japanese Navy's Yamato was the largest dreadnaught ever built, with nine 18-inch guns in its main battery.
- During World War I, the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet was comprised mainly of dreadnaughts, including the HMS Iron Duke.
- The development of the dreadnaught in the early 20th century sparked a naval arms race between European powers.