tanker
UK: ˈtæŋkə | US: ˈtæŋkər
n. a large ship or vehicle designed to carry liquids, especially oil, in bulk
n. an aircraft or vehicle equipped with tanks for transporting fuel
n. (informal) a member of a military tank crew
The word "tanker" emerged in the late 19th century, derived from "tank" (originally meaning "artificial reservoir," borrowed from Portuguese "tanque") + the agentive suffix "-er." The term initially described ships designed to transport liquid cargo (e.g., oil or water) in large tanks. Later, it expanded to include fuel-carrying aircraft and military vehicles. The suffix "-er" logically marks the word as a functional object (a vessel or vehicle "that carries tanks").
The oil tanker spilled thousands of gallons of crude into the ocean.
The air force deployed a fuel tanker to refuel fighter jets mid-flight.
He worked as a tanker driver for a petroleum company.
The military tanker rolled across the desert during the exercise.
Environmentalists protested the aging tanker's unsafe conditions.