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noun C1 Advanced Common

Carrier

Carrier (noun) means a person, vehicle, or company that transports goods, passengers, or messages. Example: “The package was handed off to a different carrier for the last leg of delivery.”

noun
1
A person, vehicle, or company that transports goods, passengers, or messages.
"The package was handed off to a different carrier for the last leg of delivery."
"Her phone carrier offers unlimited data plans."
2
Someone who carries and can transmit a disease or gene without necessarily showing symptoms.
"He tested positive as a carrier of the recessive gene."
3
Short for "aircraft carrier," a warship built to launch and land airplanes.
"The fleet was led by a nuclear-powered carrier."

How to Use Carrier

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishSomething or someone that carries, transports, or transmits.

Common pairings
insurance carrier phone carrier disease carrier aircraft carrier

Word Forms

Carriers plural, Carriers plural

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The package was handed off to a different _____ for the last leg of delivery.

Related Words

Rhymes for Carrier

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does “Carrier” mean?

The word “Carrier” means a person, vehicle, or company that transports goods, passengers, or messages. In plain terms, something or someone that carries, transports, or transmits.

How do you use “Carrier” in a sentence?

Here is “Carrier” used in a sentence: “The package was handed off to a different carrier for the last leg of delivery.”

What part of speech is “Carrier”?

“Carrier” is a noun.

Is “Carrier” a common word?

“Carrier” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.

How many meanings does “Carrier” have?

“Carrier” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person, vehicle, or company that transports goods, passengers, or messages.

What is the difference between a "carrier" and a "courier"?

A carrier is any person, vehicle, or company that transports goods, passengers, or messages, and often refers to large shipping or airline companies. A courier is a more specific type of carrier that delivers parcels and documents quickly, usually over shorter distances.

What are common types of "carrier" in transport?

Common examples include an airline carrier, a shipping carrier, and a common carrier that transports goods for the public. The word also appears in "aircraft carrier," a warship that carries and launches planes.

What is a "carrier" in phone and internet services?

In telecommunications, a carrier is a company that provides mobile phone, internet, or network service to customers. This use extends the core meaning of a business that transports something, in this case signals and data rather than physical goods.

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