Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

plain sail

noun

Definition of plain sail 

: the ordinary working canvas of a sailing ship usually including topgallant sails, royals, and a flying jib

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

History and Etymology for plain sail

plain entry 4

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about plain sail

Share plain sail

Resources for plain sail

Cite Time Traveler Time Traveler! Explore the year a word first appeared

Dictionary Entries near plain sail

Plain of Mars

Plain People

Plains

plain sail

plain sailing

plain-saw

plains cottonwood

Statistics for plain sail

Look-up Popularity

Comments on plain sail

What made you want to look up plain sail? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

acceptation

a generally accepted meaning of a word

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Great Scrabble Words—A Quiz

  • scrabble-tiles-that-read-scrabble-quiz
  • Which of the following Q-without-U words means the number five in cards or dice?
True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
SCRABBLE® Sprint

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games