corvette English · revision 393

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /kɔːɹˈvɛt/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|frm|corvette|t=small, fast warship]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(Hoad 1986) probably from Middle Dutch ''corf'' “basket; a kind of small ship”,^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Hoad 1986) or Middle Dutch ''corver'' “fishing boat; privateer”.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) The OED derives it from Latin ''corbīta'' “slow merchant ship”, from ''corbis'' “basket”, though Gamillscheg disagrees.^(Etymonline)^(Hendrickson 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A flush-decked wooden warship with one tier of guns, ranking below a frigate (1636).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Hendrickson describes early corvettes as cumbersome freighters, “old baskets”, which over time became swift warships.^(Hendrickson 2008) In the late 19th century the name was given to a class of cruiser-like ships in the British navy,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and in the Second World War to a fast escort vessel of 500 to 700 tons used on convoy duty (1940).^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) The American sports car was named after the warship in 1952.^(Etymonline)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1636 – a small sailing warship.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * late 19th century – a class of British cruisers.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1940 – a convoy escort vessel.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1952 – the Chevrolet sports car.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A fast, lightly armed warship smaller than a [[destroyer]], used especially for convoy escort and anti-submarine work.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(historical)'' A sailing warship with a flush deck and one tier of guns, ranking next below a [[frigate]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[frigate]]

+ * [[corf]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}