Dreadnoughts were a type of battleship that revolutionized naval warfare in the early 20th century. Introduced by the British Royal Navy in 1906, the HMS Dreadnought featured an all-big-gun armament and steam turbine propulsion, making it faster and more powerful than previous ships. This design rendered older battleships obsolete and set a new standard for naval construction. The term "dreadnought" means "fear nothing," reflecting the ship's formidable capabilities. Other nations quickly followed suit, building their own dreadnoughts, leading to an arms race among major powers like Germany and the United States. This shift in naval technology significantly influenced maritime strategy during World War I.