frigates

Frigates are medium-sized warships, historically ranking below ships of the line but fast and maneuverable enough for escort duty, reconnaissance, and commerce raiding.

In modern navies, frigates are smaller than destroyers and typically serve in anti-submarine warfare or convoy protection: The frigate escorted the carrier group through hostile waters.

A frigate bird is a large tropical seabird with a hooked bill and forked tail, named for its piratical habit of harassing other birds to steal their food.