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motorboat

[moh-ter-boht]
noun
  1. a boat propelled by an inboard or outboard motor.
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verb (used without object)
  1. to travel in or operate a motorboat: to motorboat from Hyannis to Martha's Vineyard.
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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.

  • 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.

  • For there was no craft tied to the string-piece, where he had fastened his motor-boat.

British Dictionary definitions for motor-boat

motorboat

noun
  1. any boat powered by a motor
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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

n.

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

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper