outboard

American  

[out-bawrd, -bohrd] / ˈaʊtˌbɔrd, -ˌboʊrd /

adjective

1. located on the exterior of a hull or aircraft.

2. located farther from the center, as of an aircraft.

   the outboard end of a wing.

3. (of a motorboat) having an outboard motor.

---

adverb

1. outside or away from the center of a hull, aircraft, machine, etc..

   The sail swung outboard.

noun

1. an outboard motor.

2. a boat equipped with an outboard motor.

outboard British  

/ ˈaʊtˌbɔːd /

adjective

1. (of a boat's engine) portable, with its own propeller, and designed to be attached externally to the stern Compare inboard

2. in a position away from, or further away from, the centre line of a vessel or aircraft, esp outside the hull or fuselage

---

adverb

1. away from the centre line of a vessel or aircraft, esp outside the hull or fuselage

noun

1. an outboard motor

2. a boat fitted with an outboard motor

Etymology

Origin of outboard

First recorded in 1815–25; out- + board

Example Sentences

At the Auckland Outboard Boating Club, members were having a Wednesday-night drink when one of them noticed a Zodiac lying abandoned on the causeway.

From Slate • Jul. 22, 2025

In 2014, the race returned as an exhibition, sponsored by the Seattle Outboard Association, a local club, and under the umbrella of the American Power Boat Association.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 27, 2024

These terranes are shown as Outboard terranes in Figure 21.14.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

Mr. Julius, bidding on behalf of Stellican, lost out to the owner of Genmar Industries, Irwin Jacobs, who had teamed up with Bombardier to buy all of Outboard Marine's assets for $95 million.

From New York Times • Jan. 10, 2013

Outboard chugging as if to say, what’s going on?

From "The Young Man and the Sea" by Rodman Philbrick