U-boat

noun

ˈyü-ˌbōt 

: a German submarine

Examples of U-boat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In 1942 the United States was in the thick of World War II and losing numerous transport ships in the Atlantic Ocean to German U-boats. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Oct. 2026

This includes German U-boats sunk during World War II and cruise ships that sank and have never been found. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 28 Sep. 2026

Six days later, off the southern coast of Ireland, a German U-boat torpedoed the ship’s starboard side with such Teutonic precision that its funnels were underwater in eighteen minutes. — Claire Carusillo, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026

Smoke from the fighting still rose on the horizon, but Picard’s eyes scanned the gray water below for signs of German U-boats. — Kevin Maurer, The Atlantic, 6 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

translation of German U-boot, short for Unterseeboot, literally, undersea boat

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for U-boat

• afloat
• azote
• banknote
• bareboat
• benzoate
• connote
• cutthroat
• demote
• denote
• devote
• endnote
• footnote

Kids Definition

U-boat

noun

ˈyü-ˈbōt

: a German submarine