ss

ss — abbreviation

1. a written abbreviation for 'saints' — used in the names of Christian churches an

1.abbreviationB2
Definition

a written abbreviation for 'saints' — used in the names of Christian churches and religious figures, appearing before the names of two or more saints together.

Example

The wedding took place at the Church of Ss. Peter and Paul.

Ss. + two saint names in church name

Folake attended a service at the Cathedral of Ss. Cyril and Methodius.

Common collocations
  • Ss. + church/cathedral/chapel name

Grammar Patterns

Ss. + [names of saints]

Usage Note

Always appears in uppercase as 'Ss.' (with a period after the second 's') when abbreviating saints. The spelling distinguishes it from 'SS' for steamship.

Common Mistakes

The ship was called Ss. Titanic.
The ship was called SS Titanic.
'Ss.' is for saints, while 'SS' (no period) is for steamship.

2. a written abbreviation for 'steamship' — placed before the name of a ship that i

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Definition

a written abbreviation for 'steamship' — placed before the name of a ship that is powered by a steam engine.

Example

The SS Great Britain was one of the most famous ships of the 1800s.

SS + ship name meaning steamship

Arjun found a photo of his grandfather standing on the deck of the SS Normandie.

Common collocations
  • SS + ship name
  • SS + famous ship

Grammar Patterns

SS + [ship name]

Usage Note

Written in uppercase without a period (SS). This abbreviation mainly appears in historical contexts. Modern ships use 'MS' (motor ship) or 'MV' (motor vessel).

Common Mistakes

I travelled on the SS Queen Mary in 1958.' (correct usage — it was a steamship)
same sentence applies
the mistake is using SS for non-steam vessels. In modern English, avoid SS for diesel-powered ships.

ss — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Steamship' is the formal, full term for a ship powered by steam engines, typically used in official names, documents, and historical writing. 'Steamer' is a shorter, more informal alternative that appears frequently in everyday historical narratives and travel writing — for example, 'We took the steamer down the Mississippi.' 'Steam vessel' is a broader, more technical term that covers any watercraft driven by steam, including smaller boats, and appears mainly in legal or engineering documents. In practice, 'steamship' and 'steamer' overlap heavily, but 'steamer' is the more natural choice in spoken or informal written contexts. If you are using the abbreviation SS before a ship name, the full noun is always 'steamship', not 'steamer': 'SS Titanic' stands for 'steamship Titanic.'

steamer ↗steamship ↗steam vessel

Common collocations

Nouns

  • steamship company
  • steamship line
  • steamship ticket
  • steamship engine
  • steamship travel

Phrases

  • SS + ship name
  • Ss. + saint names

Prepositions

  • on a steamship
  • by steamship
  • aboard a steamship

Etymology

LatinEnglish

'SS' as an abbreviation comes from two sources. For 'steamship', it developed in the early 1800s when steam-powered ships began crossing the Atlantic, and shipping companies adopted 'SS' as a standard prefix before a vessel's name (following the pattern of earlier abbreviations like 'HMS' for 'His Majesty's Ship'). For 'saints', the abbreviation 'Ss.' comes from Latin 'Sancti' (plural of 'Sanctus', meaning holy), and has been used in Christian writing for centuries to shorten the names of multiple saints listed together.