kayak

[ kahy-ak ]

/ ˈkaɪ æk /

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See synonyms for: kayak / kayaks on Thesaurus.com

noun

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.

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

verb (used without object)

to go or travel by kayak.

verb (used with object)

to travel on by kayak: to kayak the Colorado River.

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Also kai·ak, ky·ack, ky·ak .

Origin of kayak

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

OTHER WORDS FROM kayak

kay·ak·er, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use kayak in a sentence

It’s been great for the sporting-goods sellers supplying them with new golf clubs, kayaks, hiking boots, and more.
Outdoor sports equipment sales are booming thanks to Covid-19|Marc Bain|November 24, 2020|Quartz
“They thought the whale had the kayak in its mouth,” McSorley said.
A pair of kayakers in California barely avoid being swallowed by a humpback whale|Des Bieler|November 4, 2020|Washington Post
Luckily I was an active kayaker before I broke my arm, and I still had my kayak.
Los Angeles Is Gone - Issue 90: Something Green|Kim Stanley Robinson|October 7, 2020|Nautilus
That was a crazy moment, realizing the streets were all flooded and my kayak was the only way for me to get around.
Los Angeles Is Gone - Issue 90: Something Green|Kim Stanley Robinson|October 7, 2020|Nautilus

This encampment on the South Fork of the Caddo River, about 95 miles west of Little Rock, offers complimentary kayaks, tubes, and a paddleboat.
Our Favorite Hipcamp in Every State|Alison Van Houten|October 1, 2020|Outside Online
He is photographed kayaking, scuba diving, meditating, sleeping in a mosquito net, and on a myriad of outdoorsy sojourns.
Demi Moore Might Be Dating an Australian Pearl Diver and He Is Amazing|Kevin Fallon|May 10, 2013|DAILY BEAST
I work all morning and have a late lunch, then work out, ride my bike, or go kayaking.
‘Treme’ Writer and Detective Novelist George Pelecanos: How I Write|Noah Charney|September 26, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Lesser sports facilities—used for rowing, baseball, and kayaking contests in the 2008 Games—now seem deserted.
Architectural White Elephants: Beijing, London, and the Post-Olympics Curse|Melinda Liu|August 14, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Kayaking certainly proves a compelling metaphor for both writing and grief.
3 Must Reads: ‘Kayak Morning,’ ‘Mr. g,’ and ‘Alex Gilvarry’|Hillary Kelly, Mythili Rao, Jacob Silverman|February 8, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Like writing, kayaking is all a balancing act, a one-man show of force and skill.
3 Must Reads: ‘Kayak Morning,’ ‘Mr. g,’ and ‘Alex Gilvarry’|Hillary Kelly, Mythili Rao, Jacob Silverman|February 8, 2012|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for kayak

kayak

kaiak

/ (ˈkaɪæk) /

noun

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

a fibreglass or canvas-covered canoe of similar design

Word Origin for kayak

C18: from Inuktitut (Greenland dialect)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

kayak

Origin of kayak

OTHER WORDS FROM kayak

Words related to kayak

How to use kayak in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for kayak

kaiak

Word Origin for kayak