bumboat

American  

[buhm-boht] / ˈbʌmˌboʊt /

noun

Nautical.

1. a boat used in peddling provisions and small wares among vessels lying in port or offshore.

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bumboat British  

/ ˈbʌmˌbəʊt /

noun

1. any small boat used for ferrying supplies or goods for sale to a ship at anchor or at a mooring

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Etymology

Origin of bumboat

1665–75; probably partial translation of Dutch bomschuit a small fishing boat, perhaps contraction of bodemschuit ( je ) literally, bottom-boat

Example Sentences

Consider buddleboy, bogeyman, bumboat man, flirter, higgler, pugger, muffleman, quarrel picker, spittle-maker, whiff-maker and willy man.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 14, 2025

Like bumboat boys diving for pennies, book publishers scrambled for Woollcott words of praise for a new work, to splash on the volume's jacket as the blurb of blurbs.

From Time Magazine Archive

“Why, you see, his aunt is a good old soul, who keeps a bumboat, and goes off to the shipping.”

From The Poacher Joseph Rushbrook by Marryat, Frederick

I remember an amusing experience of a messmate of mine, who, being discontented with the regular breakfast set before him, got some eggs from the bumboat.

From From Sail to Steam, Recollections of Naval Life by Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer)

"Ain't this fun?" whispered Jimmy's next neighbor, taking advantage of a general burst of laughter, as the inimitable little bumboat woman advertised her wares with captivating drollery.

From Aunt Jo's Scrap-Bag, Vol. 5 Jimmy's Cruise in the Pinafore, Etc. by Alcott, Louisa May