A naval vessel deliberately sunk or positioned to block a harbor, channel, or strategic waterway to prevent enemy passage.
Compound of 'block' (to obstruct) and 'ship.' The term became prominent in naval warfare during the World Wars when this tactic was used strategically.
During World War II, blockships were sunk to block German U-boat bases—the most famous was Operation Mulberry, which used sunken ships as artificial breakwaters for D-Day invasions!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.