boathouse

American  

[boht-haus] / ˈboʊtˌhaʊs /

noun

• boathouses
  plural

1. a building or shed, usually built partly over water, for sheltering a boat or boats.

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boathouse British  

/ ˈbəʊtˌhaʊs /

noun

1. a shelter by the edge of a river, lake, etc, for housing boats

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• boathouses
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of boathouse

First recorded in 1715–25; boat + house

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

boathouse boathouses

A separate guesthouse provides another four bedrooms, while the resortlike grounds offer a host of high-end amenities, including a tennis court, swimming pool, gym, wine cellar, private beach, docks, and boathouse.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026

Chesapeake was the primary funder of the first boathouse on a seven-mile stretch of river on the outskirts of downtown, and it supported developing a sports program to foster a rowing-and-paddling community.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

He goes to the boathouse for his ablutions, walks his chihuahua around the marina and rides an electric skateboard into the nearby neighborhoods for a change of scenery.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 17, 2025

It was those watchmen who came to the boathouse to report that they’d spotted a man in a waterproof jacket drag the Zodiac up the embankment.

From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2025

His thoughts were interrupted by the blaze of light and activity down by the boathouse that faced the canal.

From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo

And I have a special touristic affection for Boathouse Row, the collection of 19th century boathouses along the Schuylkill River just west of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026

This 105-acre property, Camp Topridge, features, according to ProPublica, “an artificial waterfall and a great hall” for dining, and “more than 25 fireplaces, three boathouses, clay tennis court, and batting cage.”

From Slate ● Aug. 12, 2023

Outlining a cluster of historic boathouses along the Schuylkill River near the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the twinkly lights reflect off the water and give definition to the unique architecture of each building.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 18, 2023

In 79 C.E., in a desperate attempt to escape the impact of the Mount Vesuvius eruption, the people of Herculaneum huddled in boathouses along the town’s waterfront, situated on the west coast of central Italy.

From Science Magazine ● Aug. 25, 2021

When it closed I crossed to the other side and leaned on the rail above the boathouses.

From "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner

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