sailboat
Americannoun
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Etymology
Origin of sailboat
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How does sailboat compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A sailboat is a relatively small boat that uses wind power to propel it forward. When the wind is strong enough, sailboats can move very quickly. Ahoy! Sailboats, called sailing boats in Britain, can have anywhere from one to as many as five sails. Larger water vessels that move using sails are distinguished as "sailing ships" rather than sailboats. You might take a tour on a schooner, a large sailboat with two masts, or take a sailing lesson in a small, single-sail dingy. No matter which kind of sailboat, it moves by angling its sails into the wind.
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.
Sailboat charters allow access to the hard-to-reach outlying islands, where the sole human interaction may be with Guna fishermen.
From Washington Post • Apr. 15, 2022
Sailboat is another commendable variety, growing to 12 inches, with clusters of small creamy white flowers.
From Seattle Times • Oct. 6, 2021
My roommate group chat informs me that as of tomorrow, all four of us will be stuck an apartment that is so small that we refer to it as the Sailboat.
From Slate • Mar. 10, 2020
James W. Graham is the author of, Victura: the Kennedys, a Sailboat, and the Sea.
From Time • Oct. 7, 2014
“Hey,” Bull said, “now there’s a sport you can get enthused about. Sailboat racing. Man, look at ’em go.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
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.
