Origin: French suffix -ette
Corvette has 3 different meanings across 1 category:
a highly maneuverable escort warship; smaller than a destroyer
"The captain ordered the corvette to flank the larger destroyer and intercept the enemy supply ship."
A flush-decked warship of the 17th-18th centuries having a single tier of guns; it ranked next below a frigate; – called in the United States navy a sloop of war.
"The sleek red Corvette cruising down the highway is a true symbol of American automotive history."
A sports car, manufactured by Chevrolet from 1953 to present, an American icon.
In plain English: A corvette is a small, fast sports car made by Chevrolet that usually has two seats and an open roof or a removable top.
"The small blue corvette cruised along the coastline with its top down."
Usage: Do not use this word to describe modern sports cars, as that is an unrelated meaning. This term refers specifically to historical warships with only one row of cannons from the 17th and 18th centuries.
The word corvette entered English directly from French without any changes to its spelling or pronunciation. It retained the original meaning of a small warship when it was first adopted into the language.