semi-dreadnought

English

HMS Agamemnon, a semi-dreadnought, showing her main armament of two different calibers of big guns.

Alternative forms

• semidreadnought

Etymology

From semi- +‎ dreadnought.

Noun

semi-dreadnought (plural semi-dreadnoughts)

1. A type of advanced pre-dreadnought battleship from the very early 20th century, carrying a main armament composed entirely of big guns of different calibers (typically having four guns of the largest caliber, plus a larger number of smaller big guns). It was superior to earlier pre-dreadnoughts, but still not as powerful as the dreadnought introduced in 1906.