minecraft

See also: Minecraft

English

Etymology

mine +‎ craft

Noun

minecraft (countable and uncountable, plural minecrafts)

1. A warship which lays naval mines; (collectively) ships which deal with naval mines.
   • 1962, Samuel Eliot Morison, History of United States Naval Operation in World War II, page 79:

     Each was marked by lighted dan buoys spaced at one-mile intervals, laid by Fairmile motor launches of the Royal Navy, which followed immediately behind the minecraft.

   • 1971, Bruce Bahrenburg, The Pacific: then and now, page 96:

     By the end of May 8 the Japanese had lost one light carrier, a destroyer and several minecrafts. One large carrier had to be retired from the battle and sent home for repairs. The U.S. losses included one destroyer and an oiler, ...

   • 2005, Norman Polmar, Naval Institute Guide to the Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet, →ISBN, page 231:

     In reality, the ship was named (on 3 July 1990) along with several other MCMs to "commemorate the service of World War II minecraft that saw significant service."

   • 2005, Bill Pink, The first ten years, page 221:

     I had finally joined "the big boys" on a ship other than one called a craft . . . landing crafts or minecrafts. Now, after serving only 71 days, I was being booted off my first warship.