n. 1 a Brit. a naval escort-vessel between a corvette and a destroyer in size. b US a similar ship between a destroyer and a cruiser in size. 2 hist. a warship next in size to ships of the line. frigate-bird any marine bird of the family Fregatidae, found in tropical seas, with a wide wingspan and deeply forked tail: also called hurricane-bird.
[ F frégate f. It. fregata, of unkn. orig. ]