hydrofoil

noun

hy·​dro·​foil ˈhī-drə-ˌfȯi(-ə)l 

1

: a body similar to an airfoil but designed for action in or on water

2

: a motorboat that has metal plates or fins attached by struts fore and aft for lifting the hull clear of the water as speed is attained

Illustration of hydrofoil

• hydrofoil 2

Examples of hydrofoil in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Reachable mostly via hydrofoil or ferry from Sicily (and, for some of them, the port of Naples), the group has long been a haven for in-the-know Italians. —Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 3 May 2026

SailGP features identical hydrofoil catamaran boats that can go more than 60 miles per hour. —Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 10 Dec. 2025

The hydrofoil tested in the study carried two rows of these coils, each powered by small electrical motors called actuators. —Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2025

Once on its hydrofoil, a Candela boat can go much further on the same battery capacity as a conventional vessel without this technology. —James Morris, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hydrofoil

• aerofoil
• cinquefoil
• quatrefoil
• airfoil
• benzoyl
• despoil
• embroil
• etoile
• gargoyle
• recoil
• subsoil
• tinfoil

Kids Definition

hydrofoil

noun

hy·​dro·​foil ˈhī-drə-ˌfȯil 

: a boat that has fins attached to the bottom by braces for lifting the hull clear of the water to allow faster speeds