packet boat

noun

variants or less commonly packet ship
1
: a boat (as originally a fast sailing ship) chartered by a government to carry mail and dispatches
letters … conveyed by government packet boats or by ordinary sailing shipSamuel Graveson
2
a
: a river or coastal steamer usually of shallow draft carrying mail, passengers, and cargo on a regular run
took passage for Boston on the midweek packet boatKenneth Roberts
b
: a canalboat designed to carry passengers

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Cite this Entry

“Packet boat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/packet%20boat. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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