ferry

1 of 2

verb

fer·​ry ˈfer-ē How to pronounce ferry (audio)
ˈfe-rē
ferried; ferrying

transitive verb

1
a
: to carry by boat over a body of water
b
: to cross by a ferry
2
a
: to convey (as by aircraft or motor vehicle) from one place to another : transport
b
: to fly (an airplane) from the factory or other shipping point to a designated delivery point or from one base to another

intransitive verb

: to cross water in a boat

ferry

2 of 2

noun

plural ferries
1
: a place where persons or things are carried across a body of water (such as a river) in a boat
2
3
: a franchise or right to operate a ferry service across a body of water
4
: an organized service and route for flying airplanes especially across a sea or continent for delivery to the user

Examples of ferry in a Sentence

Verb The cars were ferried across the river. They ferry supplies to the island. Noun Ferries to both islands depart daily. You can get there by ferry. We'll meet you at the ferry.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Some 110 years ago, a picturesque new road known as Roosevelt Boulevard began ferrying vehicles across the nascent but burgeoning neighborhoods of North and Northeast Philadelphia. David Zipper, Vox, 13 Nov. 2024 But the barrier can’t be too solid: It’s studded with proteins, which need some wiggle room to carry out their various cellular jobs, such as ferrying molecules across the membrane. Yasemin Saplakoglu, WIRED, 20 Oct. 2024
Noun
While ferries don't have the same charging requirements as heavier ships, many companies are building redundancies into their crafts to ensure longer trips and less time at the charging station: Many ferries are powered by both batteries and diesel engines that can be used to offset one another. Leah Carroll, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024 After a ferry delivered him to Oakland, Muir set out on foot and walked some 300 miles to Yosemite in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Chelsee Lowe, Travel + Leisure, 29 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ferry 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English ferien, from Old English ferian to carry, convey; akin to Old English faran to go — more at fare

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of ferry was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near ferry

Cite this Entry

“Ferry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ferry. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

ferry

1 of 2 verb
fer·​ry ˈfer-ē How to pronounce ferry (audio)
ferried; ferrying
1
a
: to carry by boat over a body of water
b
: to cross by a ferry
2
a
: to carry (as by aircraft or motor vehicle) from one place to another
b
: to deliver (an airplane) by flying it to its destination

ferry

2 of 2 noun
plural ferries
1
: a place where persons or things are ferried
2

More from Merriam-Webster on ferry

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!