Argosy

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A sizable vessel known for transporting goods across oceans A description of a group of ships involved in commercial activities on the sea A metaphorical reference to a plentiful source of wealth or valuable items
2. A large sea vessel used historically to carry cargo over long distances ; a collection of commercial ships sailing together ; a plentiful supply of valuable goods or wealth
3. A substantial trading ship that transports merchandise across oceans ; a group of trading vessels operating as a unit ; a figurative term for an abundant and rich source or supply

Etymology: The name of this ship type points to a city. Italian "ragusea" meant a large ship, and it was named after Ragusa, the maritime city now called Dubrovnik on the Adriatic coast. Ragusa's merchant fleet was well known in the Mediterranean, so its name became attached to the vessels that carried goods across the sea. English speakers altered the Italian form into "argosy," and the change probably came from association with "Argo," the ship of Greek myth that carried Jason and the Argonauts. The Greek legend had nothing to do with the word's real origin, but the resemblance made the new spelling feel natural and classical. Over time the word moved from a specific kind of ship to the cargo it carried, and then to any rich store of wealth, so a "argosy" of goods or ideas now suggests abundance rather than a vessel at all.

Synonyms: fleet, armada, galleon, cargo ship, vessel