I still have a problem with differentiating between corvettes, destroyer-escorts, frigates, and that's not even dealing with cruisers - battle cruisers, armored cruisers, light cruisers, heavy cruisers ....
Corvettes: Small, single screw warships for convoy escort duty. Primarily armed for anti submarine warfare.
Destroyer Escorts: Destroyers with heavy AA armament. Designed for escorting convoys and capital ships.
Frigates: Anti submarine vessels.
Cruisers: Lightly armoured, heavily armed ships. Designed to out run anything they can't out gun.
Heavy Cruisers. Same as a Cruiser but with more armour.
Light Cruisers: Same as the Cruiser but with less armour.
Armoured Cruisers: I believe this is a civilian "Cruising" vessel e.g. an ocean liner equiped with some medium guns. Thereby making them Cruisers.
Battle Cruisers: A reconnicence vessel for a battleship fleet. Designed for reconnicence and as an anti Cruiser weapon. Has the same armament as a Battleship and is about the same size. However armour is sacraficed for speed. Therefore engagements with Battleships or other Battle Cruisers are risky to say the least.