yacht
Americannoun
verb (used without object)
noun
-
a vessel propelled by sail or power, used esp for pleasure cruising, racing, etc
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short for sand yacht ice yacht
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of yacht
1550–60; < early Dutch jaght, short for jaghtschip hunting ship, equivalent to Dutch jacht hunt (derivative of jagen to hunt) + schip ship 1
Compare meaning
How does yacht compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A yacht is an upscale boat — often a sailboat — that is used for cruising or racing. If you're on a cargo ship, you're probably at work; if you're on a yacht, it's probably your day off. While today a yacht is usually a pleasure vessel, and associated with wealth and recreation, its origins are anything but: the word yacht comes from the early modern Dutch jaghtschip, which referred to “a fast pirate ship,” and jacht meant “hunting.” You won’t find many yachts doing any hunting today — but you might find one cruising around the bay or parked at the yacht club. Yacht can also be a verb meaning to travel in a yacht.
Vocabulary lists containing yacht
Seas The Day: Words That Shore Are Beachy
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for August 17–August 23, 2024
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for February 15–February 21, 2026
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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.
Chinese group Weichai on Thursday took control of the world's top yacht maker, Ferretti, after a takeover battle with a Czech shareholder that had appealed to the Italian government.
From Barron's • May 14, 2026
Guests were serenaded by musicians such as Corinne Bailey Rae, while others enjoyed the hospitality aboard a private yacht.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
In other sports endeavors, Turner successfully skippered the US yacht Courageous to win the 1977 America's Cup.
From Barron's • May 6, 2026
In 1983, a Murdoch-sponsored yacht collided with Turner's boat in an Australian race, which led Turner to challenge Murdoch to a fist fight.
From BBC • May 6, 2026
The wings above their heads cut out the sun for a second with the sweep and billow of a sailing yacht.
From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein
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.
