ferry

1 of 2

verb

fer·​ry ˈfer-ē How to pronounce ferry (audio)
ˈfe-rē
ferried; ferrying

transitive verb

1
a
: to carry by boat over a body of water
b
: to cross by a ferry
2
a
: to convey (as by aircraft or motor vehicle) from one place to another : transport
b
: to fly (an airplane) from the factory or other shipping point to a designated delivery point or from one base to another

intransitive verb

: to cross water in a boat

ferry

2 of 2

noun

plural ferries
1
: a place where persons or things are carried across a body of water (such as a river) in a boat
2
3
: a franchise or right to operate a ferry service across a body of water
4
: an organized service and route for flying airplanes especially across a sea or continent for delivery to the user

Examples of ferry in a Sentence

Verb The cars were ferried across the river. They ferry supplies to the island. Noun Ferries to both islands depart daily. You can get there by ferry. We'll meet you at the ferry.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
People used carts to ferry the dead and wounded to the field hospital. Mohammad Jahjouh, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2025 SpaceX's next-generation rocket is designed to eventually ferry cargo and private and government crews between the Earth, the Moon, and Mars. ArsTechnica, 28 May 2025
Noun
After stopping by two monuments — the Slocum Memorial Fountain, which commemorates the victims of a 1904 ferry fire, and the Temperance Fountain, installed in 1888 to encourage people to drink water instead of alcohol — the walk was coming to a close. Miya Lee, New York Times, 21 May 2025 The easiest life to imagine was the life of the man who ran the ferry. Patricia Lockwood, New Yorker, 18 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for ferry

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English ferien, from Old English ferian to carry, convey; akin to Old English faran to go — more at fare

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of ferry was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ferry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ferry. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

ferry

1 of 2 verb
fer·​ry ˈfer-ē How to pronounce ferry (audio)
ferried; ferrying
1
a
: to carry by boat over a body of water
b
: to cross by a ferry
2
a
: to carry (as by aircraft or motor vehicle) from one place to another
b
: to deliver (an airplane) by flying it to its destination

ferry

2 of 2 noun
plural ferries
1
: a place where persons or things are ferried
2

More from Merriam-Webster on ferry

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!