kayak

American  

[kahy-ak] / ˈkaɪ æk /

Also kaiak,

noun

1. a traditional Inuit or Yupik canoe with a skin cover on a light framework, made watertight by flexible closure around the waist of the occupant and propelled with a double-bladed paddle.

2. a small boat resembling this, made commercially of a variety of materials and used in sports.

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verb (used without object)

1. to go or travel by kayak.

verb (used with object)

1. to travel on by kayak.

   to kayak the Colorado River.

kayak British  

/ ˈkaɪæk /

noun

1. a small light canoe-like boat used by the Inuit, consisting of a light frame covered with watertight animal skins

2. a fibreglass or canvas-covered canoe of similar design

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Other Word Forms

• kayaker noun

Etymology

Origin of kayak

First recorded in 1750–60, kayak is from the Inuit word qayaq

Example Sentences

He left me a kayak at the River Road Boat Club and asked that I Venmo him $30 once I was done.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 7, 2026

Clinging to the capsized kayak, Austin - who swears he "saw something in the water" - realised he needed to do something.

From BBC • Feb. 3, 2026

But the waves soon grew, flipping their boards and filling their kayak with water as they were dragged further out into the ocean.

From Barron's • Feb. 3, 2026

Jung, who was a postdoctoral researcher in Werner's lab at the time, collected samples while traveling across the lake by kayak and bicycle.

From Science Daily • Jan. 10, 2026

Dad said that if the kayak was still there, we could snare it with the grapnel hook, which was actually an extra anchor he kept on board.

From "Red Kayak" by Priscilla Cummings

Related Words

• outrigger