corvette
/kɔːˈvet/noun
1- a small warship designed for convoy escort duty小型护卫舰。
1.1
- historical a flush-decked sailing warship with one tier of guns〈史〉（有一排炮的平甲板）小型护卫舰。
词源
mid 17th cent.: from French, from Dutch korf, denoting a kind of ship, + the diminutive suffix -ette.