1.
cruiser (warship)
A large warship designed for long-range operations, faster than a battleship but with less armor. Historically one of the main classes of naval warships, now largely replaced by modern guided-missile ships that retain the cruiser designation.
Composed of 巡洋 (cruising, patrolling the seas) and 艦 (warship). The term originally described warships designed for long ocean patrols. Japanese cruisers are subdivided into 重巡洋艦 (heavy cruisers) and 軽巡洋艦 (light cruisers) based on armament and displacement.
Common collocations
- 重巡洋艦: heavy cruiser
- 軽巡洋艦: light cruiser
- ミサイル巡洋艦: guided-missile cruiser