sailboat

American

[seyl-boht] / ˈseɪlˌboʊt /

noun

a boat having sails as its principal means of propulsion.

Other Word Forms

sailboater noun
sailboating noun

Etymology

Origin of sailboat

First recorded in 1790–1800; sail + boat

Compare meaning

How does sailboat compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

yacht vs. sailboat

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.

The Mexican Navy was searching on Friday for two sailboats that went missing while transporting humanitarian aid to crisis-hit Cuba, a week after leaving Mexico.

From Barron's

A search and rescue operation is under way in the Caribbean for two missing sailboats filled with humanitarian supplies travelling from Mexico to Cuba.

From BBC

In the coming days, the sailboat plans to leave the four men behind.

From The Wall Street Journal

FAR, FAR OUT in the ocean, a sailboat drifted.

From Literature

Picturesque balconies with white railings overlook the ocean, where a line of sailboats float in the sparkling water.

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023