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Definition of ferry

ferry

/ˈfɛr.i/
fer · ry
Plural:ferries
•
Past Simple:ferried
•
Past Participle:ferried
•
Present Participle:ferrying
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ferry Lexical Profile

ferry Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A boat or ship used for conveying passengers, vehicles, or goods across a body of water, especially as a regular service.

Example

"We took the morning ferry across the bay to reach the island."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for ferry

• verb

1

To convey passengers, vehicles, or goods in a boat or ship across a body of water.

Example

"The local boats ferried tourists between the cruise ship and the harbor all day long."

2

To transport people or things from one place to another using any vehicle.

Example

"She spent the weekend ferrying her children to various sports practices."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for ferry

• Rhymes for ferry

• Nearby Words

ferret
ferris
ferrous
ferry
ferryboat
ferryhouse
ferryman

Word Origin & Etymology

From Old English 'ferian' meaning 'to carry, convey', tracing back to the Proto-Germanic '*farjanan' and the Proto-Indo-European root '*per-' (to lead or pass over).

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Ferry. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/ferry
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