dreadnought
UK[ˈdrednɔːt]US[ˈdrednɑːt]
n
a type of battleship built in the early 20th century, characterized by an "all-big-gun" armament scheme.
n
a fearless person; someone who is afraid of nothing.
n
a thick, heavy coat made of a coarse woolen cloth.
Morpheme Breakdown
dread
nought
dread
fear
nought
nothing
Etymology
the word dreadnought is a compound formed from two old english roots, "dread" and "nought," literally meaning "fear nothing." it first appeared in the late 16th century as a nickname or epithet for a fearless, bold person. this metaphorical sense was later applied to a heavy, warm coat worn by seamen, implying it defied the dread of cold weather. the most famous application came in 1906 when hms dreadnought, a revolutionary battleship that rendered all previous warships obsolete, was launched. the name was chosen to signify its power and invincibility, a warship that had "nothing to fear."
Analysis
Structure: dread (fear) + nought (nothing)
dread: from old english drǣdan, meaning "to fear, be afraid." it functions as the core semantic root conveying the concept of fear.
nought: from old english nōwiht, nāwiht (meaning "nothing"), a compound of ne (not) + āwiht (anything). it functions as a negating element.
Examples
the launch of hms dreadnought in 1906 sparked a naval arms race among the world powers.
she faced the daunting challenge with the spirit of a true dreadnought.
he wore an old dreadnought to keep out the bitter cold of the north sea.