Definition

The total quantity of goods or cargo that a ship can carry.

Example

The ship arrived with a full shipload of supplies for the island.

Conversation

Did you hear about the shipload of supplies that just arrived at the port?

Yeah, I saw that on the news! They said it was filled with food and medical supplies.

I wonder how long it took to gather that much — a whole shipload sounds like a lot.

Definitely! It’s impressive how they manage to organize everything.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Shipload → It is formed from "ship" (from Old English *scip*, meaning a vessel for traveling on water) and "load" (from Old English *lād*, meaning a way or course, but also referring to a burden or cargo). The word "shipload" refers to the amount of cargo that a ship can carry or is carrying.

Memory Tip

Think of a 'ship' as a vessel on water and 'load' as the cargo it carries. This helps you remember that 'shipload' means the cargo that a ship can hold.

Visually Confused Words