yacht

American  

[yot] / yɒt /

noun

1. a vessel used for private cruising, racing, or other noncommercial purposes.

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verb (used without object)

1. to sail, voyage, or race in a yacht.

yacht British  

/ jɒt /

noun

1. a vessel propelled by sail or power, used esp for pleasure cruising, racing, etc

2. short for sand yacht ice yacht

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verb

1. (intr) to sail or cruise in a yacht

Other Word Forms

• superyacht noun
• yachty adjective

Etymology

Origin of yacht

1550–60; < early Dutch jaght, short for jaghtschip hunting ship, equivalent to Dutch jacht hunt (derivative of jagen to hunt) + schip ship ¹

Compare meaning

How does yacht compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• yacht vs. sailboat

Example Sentences

Concern was expressed about the image of "superiority" that would be conveyed by the royal yacht arriving into Irish harbours as part of a mooted visit in the summer of 1996.

From BBC

Skippers of nearly 130 yachts set sail on a "bumpy" Sydney-Hobart ocean race Friday, many scattering rose petals for the Bondi Beach shooting victims as they ventured into rolling seas.

From Barron's

They help staff individuals’ estates around the world and liaise with advisers to pick out, and finance, toys such as planes and yachts.

From The Wall Street Journal

She threw him a birthday party on her yacht, where Kwatra and about 20 women cruised around Boston Harbour sipping Champagne and nibbling on bites prepared by a private chef.

From The Wall Street Journal

Sky Decker, a local yacht captain, said he took two police officers to the site of the nearly submerged plane, before jumping in and finding a badly injured woman trapped.

From BBC

Related Words

• racer
• sailboat
• sloop