paddleboat

noun

pad·​dle·​boat ˈpa-dᵊl-ˌbōt 

1

: a boat propelled by one or more large paddle wheels typically powered by a steam engine

… a new sidewheel paddleboat of the sort that once carried New Yorkers on harbor and Hudson River trips.

—Richard F. Shepard

2

US : a small recreational boat powered by pedals that turn a paddle wheel

Paddleboats are curious vessels. They can be steered and they're powered by foot pedals so the effect is something like riding a bicycle on water.

—Daniel Chang

called also pedal boat, (British) pedalo

Examples of paddleboat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Story of the steamboat Washoe The Washoe was a 385-ton side-wheel paddleboat with four 32-foot-long iron boilers set on the deck, the Deadliest American Disasters site said. — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 5 Sep. 2026

One of the nation’s largest urban parks, this 1,300-acre expanse has golf, paddleboats, a live oak estimated to be 800 years old, a botanical garden, and the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA). — Jenny Adams, Travel + Leisure, 24 June 2026

The fee covers swan paddleboat rentals, nightly movies and s'mores on the beach, fitness classes, and in-room Wi-Fi, among other inclusions. — Jacqueline Dole, Southern Living, 22 May 2026

Only paddleboats will be available opening weekend, a park district news release said. — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for paddleboat

• anecdote
• antidote
• asymptote
• creosote
• dimethoate
• epidote
• ferryboat
• motorboat
• overcoat
• petticoat
• riverboat
• undercoat