A ramp or inclined way for launching or hauling up ships.
A new slipway was installed at the shipyard.
A supporting frame used on a slipway for launching or repairing small vessels.
They place the small boat on a cradle for repairs.
Compound of 船 (ship) and 架 (rack, frame). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the spelling is conventionally associated with ship-related support structures.