Meaning & use
tonnage
Last updated
The carrying capacity of a ship, or the total weight or volume of goods measured in tons.
See it in a sentence
The cargo ship's tonnage determines how much freight it can legally carry.
Global shipping tonnage has grown steadily as international trade expands.
A note on using this word
Despite the name, tonnage is often a measure of a ship's internal volume rather than its actual weight.
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