spaceship
gb/spˈeɪsʃˌɪp/ us/spˈeɪsʃˌɪp/
B1
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
vehicle that travels in space
a vehicle that can travel in space
Usage pattern:
a spaceship; the spaceship; [someone] builds/launches/flies a spaceship
Common mistake:
Often confused with the broader word spacecraft (which can include unmanned vehicles). Also frequently misspelled as two words (space ship).
Synonyms
spacecraft (More general; can be unmanned as well as crewed.)
|
space vehicle (More technical and less common in everyday speech.)
Antonyms
airplane (A vehicle that travels in Earth’s atmosphere, not in outer space.)
|
ground vehicle (A vehicle that travels on land rather than leaving Earth.)
Collocations
board a spaceship
|fly a spaceship
|pilot a spaceship
|launch a spaceship
|spaceship crew
|spaceship cockpit
|spaceship cabin
|a spaceship mission
|a spaceship design
|a spaceship lands
Themes
science
|space
|technology
|transport
Examples
- The astronauts climbed into the spaceship and prepared for launch.
- The spaceship re-entered the atmosphere and landed safely.
- Engineers tested the spaceship’s life-support system before the mission.
Learner examples
- The spaceship is very fast.
- They went to space in a spaceship.
Noun
B1
entity
2
imaginary sci-fi space vehicle
an imaginary space vehicle in stories
Usage pattern:
a spaceship (in a movie/game/story); a spaceship toy/model
Common mistake:
Learners may assume spaceship always refers to a real vehicle; it is very common in movies, books, and games.
Synonyms
starship (Often implies interstellar travel; strongly associated with science fiction.)
Antonyms
real-life spacecraft (Contrasts a fictional vehicle with an actual one used by space agencies.)
Collocations
a sci-fi spaceship
|an alien spaceship
|a spaceship toy
|a spaceship model
|spaceship battles
|a spaceship game
|a spaceship in the movie
|a giant spaceship
|a sleek spaceship
|a spaceship lands
Themes
entertainment
|science_fiction
|media
Examples
- The movie opens with a huge spaceship hovering over the city.
- In the game, you upgrade your spaceship’s weapons and shields.
- Her child dressed up as a spaceship pilot for the school play.
Learner examples
- I saw a spaceship in the film.
- He has a spaceship toy.
Grammar
Dictionary form
spaceship
IPA
GB/spˈeɪsʃˌɪp/
US/spˈeɪsʃˌɪp/
Syllables & stress
space - ship (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (space)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: spaceship
- Plural: spaceships
Expressions
spaceship earth
1/spˈeɪsʃˌɪp ˈɚθ/
fixed phrase
Earth viewed as a shared vessel
the idea that Earth is like one spaceship for everyone
Examples
- The speaker used the idea of Spaceship Earth to argue for cutting waste.
- On Spaceship Earth, our resources are limited, so we have to plan carefully.
- The book’s main message is that we all share responsibility on Spaceship Earth.