First Known Use: 1557
Dictionary
1yacht
noun \ˈyät\
: a large boat that is used for racing or pleasure
Full Definition of YACHT
: any of various recreational watercraft: as a : a sailboat used for racing b : a large usually motor-driven craft used for pleasure cruising
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Origin of YACHT
obsolete Dutch jaght, from Middle Low German jacht, short for jachtschip, literally, hunting ship
2yacht
verb
Definition of YACHT
intransitive verb
: to race or cruise in a yacht
First Known Use of YACHT
1836
YACHT Defined for Kids
yacht
noun \ˈyät\
Definition of YACHT for Kids
: a small ship used for pleasure cruising or racing
Word History of 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.
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