flagship

American  

[flag-ship] / ˈflægˌʃɪp /

noun

flagships plural

1. a ship carrying the flag officer or the commander of a fleet, squadron, or the like, and displaying the officer's flag.

2. the main vessel of a shipping company.

3. any of the best or largest ships or airplanes operated by a passenger line.

4. the best or most important one of a group or system.

   This store is the flagship of our retail chain.

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adjective

1. being or constituting a flagship.

flagship British  

/ ˈflæɡˌʃɪp /

noun

1. a ship, esp in a fleet, aboard which the commander of the fleet is quartered

2. the most important ship belonging to a shipping company

3. a single item from a related group considered as the most important, often in establishing a public image

   the nine o'clock news is the flagship of the BBC

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• flagships
  plural

Etymology

Origin of flagship

First recorded in 1665–75; flag ¹ + ship ¹

Explanation

Traditionally, the commander of a navy traveled in the flagship, which was distinguished by flying his distinctive flag. You can also call the ship in the front of a fleet the flagship. The flagship is generally the most powerful in some way — better armed, or larger, than the ships that follow it. Ultimately, the most important thing about a flagship is that it's first. Based on this meaning, another kind of flagship is something that's the first, best, or biggest example of something — a product, store, or program, for example. Starbucks' enormous flagship coffee shop, the company's largest and fanciest shop, is in Seattle, Washington.

Example Sentences

Agility’s flagship humanoid robot is known as Digit.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 24, 2026

Blackstone’s decision to cap withdrawals from its flagship fund is a “feature and not a flaw” of the system, designed to “protect investors from themselves,” according to one strategist.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 24, 2026

“They were in for a rude awakening with the response, and it wasn’t just from the gay community,” Giants broadcaster and former pitcher Mike Krukow told KNBR, the team’s flagship radio station.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 19, 2026

The government and industry groups announced in March a plan to help the chemical sector, which includes subsidising power prices and seeking changes to the European Union's flagship carbon market scheme.

From Barron's • Jun. 18, 2026

The new department was revealed at SmartMart s flagship store in Dallas earlier in the week.

From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry

Related Words

• bellwether
• crown jewel