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Glite Dictionary
USS Monitor

USS Monitor

1 7.9
The first United States Navy warship with iron armor that is famous for its 1862 battle
  • proper noun
  • /ˌjuːˌɛsˈɛm ˈmɒnɪtər/
: USS Monitor
  • The USS Monitor was a revolutionary ship in naval history.

Examples

  • The USS Monitor played a crucial role in the Battle of Hampton Roads in 1862.

  • Did the USS Monitor sink during the war?

  • After its historic confrontation, the USS Monitor became an icon of Civil War innovation.

  • Many historians consider the USS Monitor to be a turning point in naval warfare due to its ironclad design.

  • The USS Monitor was a revolutionary warship that changed naval warfare forever.

  • During the Civil War, the USS Monitor engaged in a historic battle with the CSS Virginia.

  • Historians often study the USS Monitor for its innovative design and significance in military history.

Synonyms

Monitor
vsUSS Monitor
2 8.9

A United States iron warship from the Civil War that has a moving gun turret

focuses on being the navy's first commissioned ironclad and that historic battle

Surface Forms

USS Monitor main

Morphology

USS + Monitor

This is a proper name for a specific historic vessel, so knowing the constituent words does not allow a B1 learner to infer the full meaning ('the first ironclad warship' and its famous battle). At best a learner who knows the abbreviation 'USS' might guess it is a U.S. ship called Monitor, but the historical and technical information is not derivable from the parts, making the expression opaque.

Etymology

USS Monitor was named with the word Monitor, which comes from a verb meaning 'to warn' or 'to watch'. People chose this name to suggest a small, iron ship would watch over and protect the fleet, and that's why the name helps you remember it as the first important iron warship.