Cargo Goes by Ship, Freight Goes by Anything
Cargo is goods carried by a vessel. English distinguishes it from freight, which is broader and can also mean the charge for carriage.
Cargo is goods carried by a ship, aircraft or vehicle. It comes from Spanish *cargo*, a load, from the same Latin root as *charge* and *car* — all built on a word for a wheeled vehicle. The commercial distinction is that cargo is the goods themselves, while *freight* can mean the goods, the transport, or the money paid for it. The plural is unusually free: both *cargoes* and *cargos* are accepted.
- Goods carried. *A cargo of grain.*
- Cargo ship — a vessel for goods. *A cargo ship.*
- Cargo cult — a Melanesian movement. *Cargo cult beliefs.*
- Cargo trousers — with large pockets. *Cargo pants.*
- Freight — the broader term. *Rail freight.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | cargo | Valuable cargo. |
| Plural | cargoes | Two cargoes. |
| Plural | cargos | Also accepted. |
| Compound | cargo hold | The cargo hold. |
| Related | charge | From the same root. |
- The ship carried a cargo of timber.Shipping.
- Cargo aircraft land through the night.Aviation.
- Cargo and charge share a Latin root.Etymology.
Cargo, freight, shipment
- Cargo — the goods aboard a vessel
- Freight — the goods, the service, or the charge
- Shipment — one consignment sent at one time
- Payload — the revenue-earning part of a load
- Manifest — the document listing what is aboard
Spanish *cargo*, a load or burden, from Late Latin *carricare*, to load a wagon, from *carrus*, a wheeled vehicle — the same root as *car* and *charge*.
Is it cargoes or cargos?
Both are correct. Cargoes is more common in British English, cargos appears in American usage.
What is the difference between cargo and freight?
Cargo is the goods themselves. Freight can mean the goods, the transport service or the price charged.