steamship

IPA/ˈstiːmʃɪp/
KK[stˈimʃˌɪp]IPA/ˈstiːmʃɪp/

steamship — noun

  • steamshipsingular
  • steamshipsplural

1. a large boat that uses steam from heated water to turn its engines and move acro

1.nounB1
Definition

a large boat that uses steam from heated water to turn its engines and move across oceans or large rivers

Example

Yuna's great-grandfather worked on a steamship carrying cargo between Liverpool and New York.

historical context: steamship + route between ports

The rusted steamship named SS Meridian sat abandoned in the harbour for decades before being restored.

abbreviation: SS (steamship) + ship name

Common collocations
  • steamship company
  • steamship line
  • steamship service
  • steamship route
  • board a steamship
  • sail on a steamship
  • steamship passenger
Synonyms
  • steamer

    more common in everyday historical contexts; steamship sounds more formal or technical

  • steamboat

    usually refers to smaller vessels on rivers or lakes, not large ocean-going ships

Grammar Patterns

[countable] a steamship

the steamship [name]

Usage Note

Today steamship is mainly used in historical writing or as part of a ship's official name. The abbreviation SS (e.g., SS Great Britain) stands for 'steamship' and appears before the vessel's name. Modern passenger ships are powered by diesel or nuclear engines, not steam.

Common Mistakes

The cruise ship is a modern steamship.
The cruise ship is a modern vessel powered by diesel engines.
very few steamships are still in commercial use today.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Steamer is the most general and common term for any steam-powered boat; it covers everything from small harbour ferries to large ocean liners, and appears frequently in informal and historical writing. Steamship is more formal and specific — it typically refers to large ocean-going vessels with a distinct hull design and propulsion system, and is the preferred term in official names (e.g., SS Titanic). Steamboat normally refers to smaller, shallower-draft vessels designed for rivers and lakes, especially those with paddle wheels (e.g., Mississippi riverboats). Steam vessel is a formal, technical term used in legal documents and shipping regulations. For a museum ship like the SS Great Britain, both 'steamship' and 'steamer' are natural, while 'steamboat' would sound odd given its size.

steamer ↗steamboat ↗steam vessel

Common collocations

Nouns

  • steamship company
  • steamship line
  • steamship service
  • steamship route
  • steamship passenger
  • steamship ticket
  • steamship captain

Phrases

  • travel by steamship
  • sail on a steamship
  • board a steamship

Prepositions

  • on a steamship
  • aboard a steamship
  • by steamship

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Formed by combining 'steam' (water vapour, from Old English 'stēam') and 'ship' (a large boat, from Old English 'scip'). The word was first used in the late 18th century after the invention of the steam engine, when shipbuilders realised they could replace sails with steam-powered engines.