freight
FRAYT
/freɪt/
Goods transported in bulk by truck, train, ship, or aircraft, or the charge paid for such transportation.
Refers broadly to bulk cargo or the fee charged to move it, distinct from small retail packages or parcels.
The story behind the word. The word originated in the Middle Low German and Middle Dutch word 'vracht', which referred to the payment demanded for transporting cargo across water. Over time, English borrowed the term, and by the sixteenth century, the meaning expanded from the price of carriage to the actual cargo being carried.
Word relationships
- cargo: 'Cargo' refers strictly to the physical goods being carried, whereas 'freight' can refer to both the goods and the monetary charge for transporting them.
- shipment: 'Shipment' emphasizes the act or batch of shipping, while 'freight' refers to the bulk merchandise itself.
Commonly confused with
- fright: 'Fright' means sudden intense fear, while 'freight' refers to goods carried by commercial transport.
Word family
- freighter (noun): A large ship or aircraft designed primarily for carrying cargo.
Collocations
- air freight
- sea freight
- freight forwarder
- freight rate
- freight charges
Example sentences
- "The sudden increase in ocean freight rates impacted profit margins across the manufacturing sector." Supply chain reporting
- "The agreement specified that all freight charges would be prepaid by the exporter prior to loading." Commercial contract
Memory hook
Think of paying the FEE for the WEIGHT—that fee and weight combined is FREIGHT. Fee + Weight = Freight.
When not to use
Do not use 'freight' for individual consumer mail or personal luggage; use 'mail', 'parcel', or 'baggage' instead.
Fun facts
- In international trade, 'freight collect' means the receiver pays upon arrival, while 'freight prepaid' means the sender pays upfront.
Related words
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