noun
Common
freight
frayt
Freight (noun) means Goods transported in bulk by ship, train, truck, or aircraft. Example: “Most of the freight arrives at the station overnight and is unloaded before dawn.”
noun
1
Goods transported in bulk by ship, train, truck, or aircraft.
"Most of the freight arrives at the station overnight and is unloaded before dawn."
"Air freight is quicker than sea freight, but it usually costs a lot more."
"The port handles thousands of tons of freight every day."
verb
1
To transport goods, or to load a vehicle or vessel with cargo.
"They freighted the machinery across the ocean in two large container ships."
"Our firm freights fresh fruit to the city every morning by lorry."
"The company freights its products to warehouses across the country by rail."
How to use freight
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishGoods being shipped in bulk, or the act of shipping them.
Common pairings
freight train
freight charges
air freight
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- freights
- Past tense
- freighted
- Comparative
- more freight
- Superlative
- most freight
- Archaic forms
- freightest, freightedst, freighteth
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Most of the _____ arrives at the station overnight and is unloaded before dawn.
Etymology
From Late Middle English freighten, related to Middle Dutch vrachten ("to load a ship with cargo"), itself from a noun meaning cargo or hire fee.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for freight
See all rhymes for freight →Frequently asked questions
What does “freight” mean?
The word “freight” means goods transported in bulk by ship, train, truck, or aircraft. In plain terms, goods being shipped in bulk, or the act of shipping them.
How do you pronounce “freight”?
“Freight” is pronounced frayt (/fɹeɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “freight” in a sentence?
Here is “freight” used in a sentence: “The port handles thousands of tons of freight every day.”
What part of speech is “freight”?
Depending on how it is used, “freight” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “freight” come from?
The word “freight” comes from Middle English. From Late Middle English freighten, related to Middle Dutch vrachten ("to load a ship with cargo"), itself from a noun meaning cargo or hire fee.
Is “freight” a common word?
“Freight” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “freight” have?
“Freight” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: goods transported in bulk by ship, train, truck, or aircraft.
What is the difference between freight and cargo?
Both refer to goods being transported, but 'cargo' usually describes the goods carried by a ship or aircraft, while 'freight' can refer to goods carried by any means and also to the charge for carrying them. In everyday use the two often overlap.
What is the difference between freight and shipping?
'Freight' refers to the goods themselves, or the cost of moving them, while 'shipping' refers to the process of transporting goods. You pay a freight charge for the shipping of an order.
Can freight be used as a verb?
Yes. As a verb, 'freight' means to transport goods or to load a vehicle or vessel with cargo, as in 'the goods were freighted by rail'. Figuratively, 'freighted with' means loaded or burdened with, as in 'words freighted with meaning'.
What adjectives and nouns commonly go with freight?
Common pairings include 'freight train', 'freight charges', 'air freight', 'rail freight', and 'freight forwarder'. These collocations appear widely in transport and logistics contexts.
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