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main deck

American

noun

Nautical.

the uppermost weatherproof deck, running the full length of a ship.

main deck British

noun

the uppermost sheltered deck that runs the entire length of a vessel

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of main deck

First recorded in 1740–50

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"Today's world needs signs and testimonies that give hope more than words," he said in an impromptu speech in English on the main deck.

From Barron's • Oct. 18, 2025

On Monday, the EU’s military operation in the region said several fires were continuing to burn on the tanker’s main deck, though there were no visible signs that an oil spill was already occurring.

From BBC • Sep. 3, 2024

The deadly fire that broke out four years ago aboard the Conception dive boat, killing 34 people, started in a plastic trash can on the main deck, a confidential report reviewed by The Times shows.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 2, 2023

After breakfast, Javier pulled the kids out onto the main deck for one last photo together.

From Washington Post • Aug. 11, 2022

On the main deck, the mate waited at the rail, his dead eyes seeing everything.

From "The Reader" by Traci Chee

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023