regatta
Americannoun
-
a boat race, as of rowboats, yachts, or other vessels.
-
an organized series of such races.
-
(originally) a gondola race in Venice.
-
a strong, striped cotton fabric that is of twill weave.
noun
Etymology
Origin of regatta
1645–55; < Upper Italian ( Venetian ) regatta, regata, perhaps ≪ Vulgar Latin *recaptāre to contend, equivalent to *re- re- + *captāre to try to seize; see catch
Explanation
A regatta is an organized series of boat races. In a regatta, yachts or sailboats usually participate, but some regattas focus on rowboats or powerboats. In the 1650s, regatta related to a boat race among gondoliers, held on the Grand Canal in Venice. The Italian word regatta means "contention for mastery" and comes from the Latin word regattare, or "to compete, haggle, sell at retail." Regatta came to specifically mean "boat race" — and the many social events related to it — in the late 1700s.
Vocabulary lists containing regatta
2015 Spelling Bee - Words from Round 2
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Boys in the Boat
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
2014 Vocabulary Video Contest (M-Z)
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Lost Bay Regatta is a local, multi-class sailing regatta held the first Saturday in October on Perdido Bay, the dividing line between Alabama and Florida.
From Salon • Oct. 10, 2024
The space of about half an hour could play a huge role in deciding if this Olympic regatta is a GB return to form.
From BBC • Jul. 24, 2024
“On April 20th, at a youth rowing regatta, an incident occurred that is currently being investigated by West Sacramento PD,” the statement reads in part.
From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2024
A last-chance qualification regatta is held in France in late April.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 17, 2024
Then he was going to have to find a way to again beat the elite eastern schools— particularly Cornell, Syracuse, Pennsylvania, and Columbia—at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association regatta in Poughkeepsie in 1936.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
