armed merchantman

noun

A warship converted from a merchant ship by the installation of weaponry, primarily for use in commerce raiding or defense against same.

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Meanings

nounarmed merchantman (plural armed merchantmen)

plural armed merchantmen

  1. A merchant ship that has weapons aboard for fighting or potential fighting.
    1. governmentA warship converted from a merchant ship by the installation of weaponry, primarily for use in commerce raiding or defense against same.
    2. historicalnauticalA merchant ship equipped with weaponry for defense against pirates, etc.

Synonyms & antonyms

Narrower
East Indiaman
Cite this entry
APA

armed merchantman. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/armed%20merchantman

MLA

“armed merchantman.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/armed%20merchantman. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “armed merchantman,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/armed%20merchantman.

Source: armed merchantman on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.