felucca

noun

fe·​luc·​ca fə-ˈlü-kə How to pronounce felucca (audio) -ˈlə-kə How to pronounce felucca (audio)
: a narrow fast lateen-rigged sailing vessel chiefly of the Mediterranean area

Illustration of felucca

Illustration of felucca

Examples of felucca in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web However, the exterior of the hospital would take on the shape of the felucca, the traditional wooden ship that was carried by the breeze along the Nile. Sushrut Jangi, Foreign Affairs, 7 Dec. 2014 The felucca arrived around the same time. Teju Cole, New York Times, 23 Sep. 2020 Cairo residents might have coffee at a floating restaurant or board a felucca for an hourlong cruise; Nile water flows from their taps and grows their food. New York Times, 2 Jan. 2021 The felucca set sail without him but with his paintings still on board. Teju Cole, New York Times, 23 Sep. 2020 Spend time visiting a local Nubian village, and board a felucca—a traditional wooden sailboat of the Nile—for a romantic evening cruise. National Geographic, 12 June 2019 Late afternoon departure from your hotel to the west side of the Nile by felucca sailing boat. Jim Berkeley, Town & Country, 5 Oct. 2016 In Aswan, the group will visit the island temple of Philae and the Nubian Museum, drink afternoon tea at the Old Cataract Hotel and sail on a felucca. Rosemary McClure, latimes.com, 30 Jan. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'felucca.' 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

Italian feluca

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of felucca was in 1615

Dictionary Entries Near felucca

Cite this Entry

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

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