{ } n. [ F. corvette, fr. Pg. corveta or Sp. corbeta, fr. L. corbita a slow-sailing ship of burden, fr, corbis basket. Cf. Corbeil. ] (Naut.) A war vessel, ranking next below a frigate, and having usually only one tier of guns; -- called in the United States navy a sloop of war. [ 1913 Webster ]
[紫石英号 / 紫石英號, zǐ shí yīng hào, ㄗˇ ㄕˊ ㄧㄥ ㄏㄠˋ]HMS Amethyst, Royal Navy corvette involved in a 1949 gunfight with the PLA on the Changjiang[Add to Longdo]