catamaran
Americannoun
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a vessel, usually propelled by sail, formed of two hulls or floats held side by side by a frame above them.
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a float or sailing raft formed of a number of logs lashed together, used in certain parts of India, South America, etc.
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Canadian Dialect. a wooden sled.
noun
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a sailing, or sometimes motored, vessel with twin hulls held parallel by a rigid framework
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a primitive raft made of logs lashed together
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old-fashioned a quarrelsome woman
Etymology
Origin of catamaran
First recorded in 1670–80; from Tamil kaṭṭa-maram “tied wood”
Explanation
A catamaran is a type of sailboat with two hulls that are parallel to each other and are joined by the deck. A catamaran's distinguishing feature is its two-part structure. It has two hulls that are side by side, linked by a single deck. Catamaran is one of a few English words that come from Tamil, and it was originally a simple boat with two hulls made from tied tree trunks. Now it can be a much fancier sailboat such as a yacht.
Vocabulary lists containing catamaran
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Seven months into the trip, Sarm met Ryan Bane, 49, an American boat captain who chartered his £500,000 catamaran - Siren Song - to wealthy tourists.
From BBC • Sep. 13, 2025
To make up for a shortage of vessels CalMac has chartered a catamaran, MV Alfred, from Pentland Ferries at a cost of £1m per month since May 2023.
From BBC • Jul. 7, 2025
A new Disney cruise ship has rescued four people from a sinking catamaran more than 200 miles from Bermuda.
From BBC • Nov. 11, 2024
Marine scientist Sharon Gray lives on a catamaran off the Florida west coast.
From Salon • May 24, 2024
He would build a sort of water strider, a catamaran, and row it.
From "Abel's Island" by William Steig
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
