yacht

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noun \ˈyät\

Definition of yacht

: any of various recreational watercraft: such asa : a sailboat used for racingb : a large usually motor-driven craft used for pleasure cruising

See yacht defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of yacht from the Web

Earlier this year, Kendall Jenner did the impossible and made a pool float look more stylish than a million dollar yacht.

— ariana marsh, Teen Vogue, "8 Swimwear Looks With Matching Pool Floats," 3 July 2017
Metro Ports handles a wide range of bulk and breakbulk cargoes around the country, including aggregates, potash, coke, coal, cement, fertilizer, borax, bauxite, military, steel, wind energy, yachts and project cargo, according to the the Ports.

— karen caffarini, Post-Tribune, "Ports of Indiana names new bulk terminal operator," 2 July 2017
A new Porto Heli marina facility is set to open soon and will accommodate up to 149 yachts.

— hannah seligson, Town & Country, "Porto Heli Might Be Greece's Best Kept Secret," 30 June 2017
The yacht-board experience will also reflect its current hotel offerings, Ritz-Carlton said.

— chabeli herrera, chicagotribune.com, "Ritz-Carlton enters crowded field of luxury cruise lines," 27 June 2017
Ritz-Carlton is building three, 298-passenger yachts for its new Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.

— chabeli herrera, miamiherald, "Ritz-Carlton isn’t all about hotels anymore. Now it’s launching a cruise line," 22 June 2017
Stepping inside the penthouse at the top of 909 Walnut feels a bit like boarding a yacht or a luxury cruise ship.

— cynthia billhartz gregorian, kansascity.com, "California couple spend millions on this KC condo, now selling for $1.45 million," 16 June 2017
Let’s face it, drinking rosé from Provence is a way to fantasize you’re on a yacht in Saint-Tropez.

— elin mccoy, Bloomberg.com, "The Three Wines That Should Always Be in Your Fridge," 14 June 2017
The yachts of the America's Cup, happening this month in Bermuda, ride up out of the water on tiny foils that are like surfboards, which allows them to reach speeds unheard of just a few years ago.

— andrew moseman, Popular Mechanics, "Watch How an America's Cup Yacht Flies on Water," 12 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'yacht.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of yacht

obsolete Dutch jaght, from Middle Low German jacht, short for jachtschip, literally, hunting ship

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1557

See Words from the same year

Other Nautical Terms

avast, aweigh, flotsam, jib, keel, lee, port, starboard, stay

yacht

verb

Definition of yacht

intransitive verb
: to race or cruise in a yacht

First Known Use of yacht

1836

Other Nautical Terms

avast, aweigh, flotsam, jib, keel, lee, port, starboard, stay

YACHT Defined for English Language Learners

yacht

play

noun

Definition of yacht for English Language Learners

: a large boat that is used for racing or pleasure

YACHT Defined for Kids

yacht

play

noun \ˈyät\

Definition of yacht for Students

: a small ship used for pleasure cruising or racing

History for yacht

In the 1500s the Dutch developed a kind of fast-moving sailing ship for use in coastal waters and river mouths. These vessels were called by the name jaght, short for jachtschip or jageschip in Dutch and German dialects—literally, “hunting ship” or “pursuit ship.” The word was soon borrowed into English as yoath or yaught. The spelling jacht or yacht became widespread after 1660, when the English king Charles II was given such a boat, dubbed the Mary, by the Dutch East India Company. The king chose to use the boat for excursions and racing, and the word yacht became attached to other vessels used for the same purposes.