canoe

1 of 2

noun

ca·​noe kə-ˈnü How to pronounce canoe (audio)
: a light narrow boat with both ends sharp that is usually propelled by paddling

canoe

2 of 2

verb

canoed; canoeing

transitive verb

: to transport in a canoe
also : to travel by canoe down (a river)

intransitive verb

: to go or travel in a canoe
canoeable adjective
canoeist noun
canoer noun

Examples of canoe in a Sentence

Verb He canoed down the river to the camp. They canoed part of the Colorado River this summer.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Reuters — The Paris Olympics will be free of the strict Covid-19 restrictions that overshadowed the Tokyo and Beijing Games but New Zealand canoe slalom trailblazer Luuka Jones might be forgiven for taking extra precautions with her health. Reuters, CNN, 16 Mar. 2024 Alas, no more boating in Death Valley — the water collected in Badwater Basin is too shallow to support kayaks and canoes, per The Times’ Jireh Deng. Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024 Construction planned for two years Avery, who canoes and paddle boards on the river, said nearby residents won’t have access to that portion of the American River Parkway for two years during construction as trucks carrying materials move in and out of the area. Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 21 Feb. 2024 The starting point is an abstract representation of a canoe, which, since the earliest Samoans rowed to shore from other islands, signals the start of Samoan society. Brian T. Allen, National Review, 10 Feb. 2024 Explore the shoreline in a canoe or kayak or take a three-hour glass-bottom boat tour to see dolphins, tropical fish and sea turtles cavorting near the coral reefs. Miami Staff, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024 Responding cops used a canoe to catch the man in the river near Vermontville and took him into custody, state police said. Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 29 Jan. 2024 Recommended The average age of a Senegalese person is 22, and in recent years, many young people like Mr. Faye have voted against this situation with their feet, setting out for Europe in wobbly canoes called pirogues or on long treks across the Sahara. Ayen Deng Bior, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Mar. 2024 This can be accomplished by walking down creeks and peeking into ponds or by floating creeks and rivers in a kayak or canoe, hugging the insides of turns, and hoping to float close enough to get good shots. Phil Bourjaily, Field & Stream, 15 Feb. 2024
Verb
My childhood was spent in the Blue Ridge Mountains — camping in the Peaks of Otter and canoeing down the James River — and my college years brought me to Williamsburg, where history and higher education go hand in hand with waterfront views. Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 24 Feb. 2024 Visitors can take a kayak or canoe out to see the eclipse from the lake. Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 6 Feb. 2024 Garwood, who has canoed the length of the Mississippi River solo, an odyssey that lasted 84 days, has a deep reverence for his home ground, and the winter that is part of a Minnesotan’s identity. Patricia Leigh Brown, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2024 One of the most gripping parts of this story is how one woman in pain was kept as comfortable as possible while two of her companions canoed out to get help. Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 21 Jan. 2024 But perhaps his most audacious creation is a three-acre lake, big enough to canoe in, which was built by fixing a retaining wall against sloped land fed by two brooks. Curbed, 29 Dec. 2023 More significantly, their voyage set the stage for future exploration, most notably for the 1682 expedition of René-Robert Cavelier, sieur de La Salle, who canoed the lower Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico, claiming the land that became known as Louisiana for the French. Barbara Spindel, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Dec. 2023 Sunrise forest bathing, early morning canoeing on Lake Kawaguchi, and aerial stretching are all a part of the draw here. Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 29 Nov. 2023 Together, these components contribute to the Soft Pack’s leakproof construction and ability to float, which comes in handy when canoeing, kayaking, or swimming about. Kevin Brouillard, Travel + Leisure, 20 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'canoe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French, from New Latin canoa, from Spanish, from Arawakan, of Cariban origin; akin to Carib kana:wa canoe

First Known Use

Noun

1555, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1794, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of canoe was in 1555

Dictionary Entries Near canoe

Cite this Entry

“Canoe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/canoe. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

canoe

1 of 2 noun
ca·​noe kə-ˈnü How to pronounce canoe (audio)
: a long light narrow boat with pointed ends and curved sides that is usually moved by someone using a paddle

canoe

2 of 2 verb
canoed; canoeing
: to travel or carry in a canoe
canoeist noun

More from Merriam-Webster on canoe

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