yacht

1 of 2

noun

: any of various recreational watercraft: such as
a
: a sailboat used for racing
b
: a large usually motor-driven craft used for pleasure cruising

yacht

2 of 2

verb

yachted; yachting; yachts

intransitive verb

: to race or cruise in a yacht

Examples of yacht in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The only other sounds are the lapping waves against the yachts in front of these cottages spread out along the wharves. Laurie Werner, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024 In the eerie clip, divers can be seen exploring what was once the cabin of the yacht, using flashlights to look inside various control panels and open doors. Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 18 Oct. 2024
Verb
Superyacht owners and yachting industry operators who value and prioritize efforts that minimize the impact of travel on the environment can be confident that Dubai is at the forefront of meeting this requirement. Dubai Tourism Contributor, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024 Some were brand flagships, others new models in existing families, and even more showed innovative designs that are new to yachting. Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 24 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for yacht 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'yacht.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

First Known Use

Noun

1557, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1836, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of yacht was in 1557

Dictionary Entries Near yacht

Cite this Entry

“Yacht.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yacht. Accessed 1 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

yacht

1 of 2 noun
: a fairly small ship used for pleasure cruising or racing

yacht

2 of 2 verb
: to race or cruise in a yacht
Etymology

Noun

from obsolete Dutch jaght (now jacht), short for jachtschip, literally, "hunting ship"

Word Origin
In the 16th century, the Dutch were being attacked by pirates and smugglers who managed to escape after their raids because their ships were much faster than the heavy warships used by the Dutch. To solve the problem, the Dutch began building smaller, sleeker, faster craft. This new kind of craft was called a jaght (later spelled jacht) in Dutch. The word was derived from the Dutch phrase jachtschip, literally meaning "hunting ship." In 1660, the Dutch East India Company presented one of these boats to England's King Charles II. He used it for a pleasure boat rather than for chasing pirates. Soon, other wealthy Englishmen wanted boats just like the king's. The style was then copied and improved over the years. The name for this craft also went through a number of changes over the years, from the original jaght, taken from the Dutch, to the yacht spelling we have today.
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