Freighter
/ˈfreɪ.tər/noun
A ship, aircraft, or vehicle used to transport goods.
Did you know?“Freight” and “fraught” developed from related historical forms, so the same linguistic family connects transporting cargo with being emotionally burdened or filled with danger.
Etymological Timeline
15th Century
Middle English
freight
“Cargo or goods carried for payment; also the payment for carrying them.”
15th–16th Century
English
freighten
“To load with goods or cargo, or to hire a vessel for transport.”
16th Century
English
freighter
“A person who loads or charters a vessel for transporting goods.”
17th Century
English
freighter
“A ship employed in carrying freight.”
Modern English
English
freighter
“A vessel, aircraft, or vehicle designed or used primarily to transport cargo.”
Explore more surprising origins