kayak

American  

[kahy-ak] / ˈkaɪ æk /

Also kaiak,

noun

• kayaks
  plural

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

Derived Forms

• kayaker
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• kayaks
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of kayak

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

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Explanation

A kayak is a narrow one- or two-person boat that is propelled with a double-ended paddle. You can use a kayak in the ocean, on a pond or lake, or in a river. When you get in a kayak and start paddling around, you kayak (the verb). People who visit the beach often rent sea kayaks and kayak around the shore and between small islands. An even more adventurous way to kayak is in a whitewater kayak on a fast-moving river. Kayaks were first built and used by Inuits, Aleuts, and Yup'iks, and the word comes from the Inuit qayaq, "small boat of skins."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

kayak kayaks

The canoe and kayak slalom paddle events for the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics will take place at a white-water venue at the river complex.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

He improvised repairs using PVC pipes and kayak paddles to get his boat back on course.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

If you’re looking to get active on the water, the Yacht Club of Saint-Tropez offers kayak, windsurf and paddleboard rentals, from around $23 per hour.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

Roughly a dozen people at the if-you-know-you-know event grooved and shuffled to EDM music while kayak enthusiasts paddled by and locals fished for carp.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026

“Call it Liberty Island now, I guess,” said Patience as they stepped out of the kayak.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz

They spent $1.3 million building a 5,000-square-foot home with a dock for their jet-skis, kayaks, sailboat and Boston Whaler.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026

In warmer weather, you can rent kayaks, wave runners and paddleboards or take a seasonal cruise aboard the Lake Lawn Queen; winter brings cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, ice fishing and sledding.

From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026

But even at Burke’s, things change: Demand is up for kayaks, down for the metal canoes, which are heavier.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

The Float and Fish excursion sends guests in kayaks along a clear and fast-moving section of the river, casting in pockets and eddies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

The place looked like a typical summer camp, log cabins in the woods, kayaks strewn on the beach.

From "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman

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