motorboat

[moh-ter-boht]

noun

a boat propelled by an inboard or outboard motor.

verb (used without object)

to travel in or operate a motorboat: to motorboat from Hyannis to Martha's Vineyard.

Origin of motorboat

First recorded in 1900–05; motor + boat

Related formsmo·tor·boat·er, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for motor-boat

Historical Examples of motor-boat

On the south side of the pier a man had just tied up a motor-boat.
Within the Law
Marvin Dana
I'll get in my motor-boat and take a run over to Waterfield to see Mr. Damon.
Tom Swift and his Electric Runabout
Victor Appleton
We could take you and your aunt in one of the rowboats, and have the motor-boat tow it.
Dave Porter At Bear Camp
Edward Stratemeyer
You have money of your own and a motor-boat is not a bad investment.
Tom Swift and his Motor-boat
Victor Appleton
For there was no craft tied to the string-piece, where he had fastened his motor-boat.
Tom Swift and his Motor-boat
Victor Appleton

British Dictionary definitions for motor-boat

motorboat

noun

any boat powered by a motor

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

Word Origin and History for motor-boat

also motorboat, 1902, from motor (n.) + boat (n.).