carrier
B1Neutral to formal; common in technical, business, military, and medical contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A person, company, or thing that transports or conveys something or someone.
Something that carries, holds, or transmits a particular thing (e.g., a disease, signal, or trait); a company providing transport services; a military vessel or vehicle designed to transport.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Derived from the verb 'carry'. Often denotes a professional or systemic role in transport/logistics. In biology/medicine, implies passive transmission without showing symptoms.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal difference in core meaning. 'Aircraft carrier' is identical. In telecoms, 'network carrier' is universal. Slight preference in UK for 'carrier bag' (plastic bag).
Connotations
In business, 'carrier' implies a scheduled, professional service (airline, shipping line). In everyday use, can feel slightly technical.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties in transport/logistics contexts. Slightly higher in US in phrases like 'common carrier' (legal term for public transporter).
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
carrier of [something]carrier for [someone/something]carrier between [places]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “carrier of the torch (for an idea/cause)”
- “like a carrier pigeon (very reliable in returning/delivering)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
A logistics carrier failed to deliver the components on time, disrupting production.
Academic
The mosquito acts as a vector and carrier for the malaria parasite.
Everyday
Could you put the shopping in the carrier bags, please?
Technical
The OFDM signal uses multiple orthogonal sub-carriers to transmit data.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The postal carrier was late due to the snow.
- The aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is on deployment.
- He is a silent carrier of the genetic trait.
American English
- The letter carrier has a new route.
- The carrier's liability is limited by contract.
- She works for a major wireless carrier like Verizon.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- This carrier bag is very strong.
- The pigeon is a message carrier.
- The shipping carrier lost our package.
- Are you a carrier of your family's traditions?
- The diplomatic courier is a protected carrier of official documents.
- Asymptomatic carriers can spread the virus unknowingly.
- The company operates as a common carrier and is subject to specific regulations.
- Lipoproteins act as carriers for cholesterol in the bloodstream.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
A CARRIER CARRies things. Think of a CARRIER bag that CARRies your shopping.
Conceptual Metaphor
CARRIER AS A CHANNEL / VESSEL (Something that contains and moves another entity from point A to B).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'курьером' (courier), который доставляет срочные предметы/документы. 'Carrier' шире — это перевозчик любого груза, часто систематически.
- В биологии/медицине — 'носитель', а не 'перевозчик'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'carrier' for a person simply holding something temporarily (use 'holder' or 'bearer').
- Confusing 'carrier' with 'courier' (which implies speed and specific delivery).
Practice
Quiz
In a military context, a 'carrier' most specifically refers to:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While often physical (goods, people), it can be abstract (carrier of news, tradition, disease, signal).
A 'courier' is a person/company delivering messages or parcels, often with speed/urgency (e.g., diplomatic courier). A 'carrier' is broader, any entity that transports, especially regularly/systematically (e.g., airline, shipping line).
Yes, in specific contexts: a 'letter carrier' (postal worker), a 'carrier' of a disease/gene (medical), or a person carrying something as their role.
A legal/business term for a company that transports goods/people for the general public on a regular schedule at published rates (e.g., railways, airlines, trucking companies), accepting all customers without discrimination.
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