boat

1 of 2

noun

ˈbōt 

plural boats

1

a

: a small vessel for travel on water

b

: ship

2

: a boat-shaped container, utensil, or device

a gravy boat

a laboratory boat

3

informal : a large car

A lot of people still think Cadillac makes big floaty boats.

—Mark LaNeve

boatful

ˈbōt-ˌfu̇l 

noun

boatlike

ˈbōt-ˌlīk 

adjective

boat

2 of 2

verb

boated; boating; boats

transitive verb

: to place in or bring into a boat

intransitive verb

: to go by boat

Phrases

in the same boat

: in the same situation or predicament

Synonyms

Noun

• bottom
• craft
• vessel
• watercraft

Verb

• cruise
• ferry
• navigate
• sail
• ship (out)
• voyage

Examples of boat in a Sentence

Noun

He tied the boat to the dock.

Cruise ships and other boats filled the harbor.

traveling by boat across the ocean

Verb

We boated over to the island.

boated to the picnic site on an island in the bay

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Gary wakes up and notices Parsifal III is heading directly toward another boat. —Emma Soren, Vulture, 19 Nov. 2024

The decrease is attributed to a significant drop in Pontoon boat sales due to high interest rates and inflation affecting consumer spending. —Quartz Bot, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024

Verb

Police have not determined whether the person was killed in a slaying or whether a marine animal or a boating accident could have led to a decapitation, Martin said. —Antonio Planas, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2024

This puffer jacket has been with me to vineyards in Tuscany, the highlands of Scotland, the streets of Dublin, all over Broadway in Nashville, bar hopping in New York City, and boating through the archipelago of Finland. —Amber Love Bond, Travel + Leisure, 1 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English boot, from Old English bāt; akin to Old Norse beit boat

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing boat

• assault boat
• boat hook
• boat people
• boat shoe
• boat train
• flying boat
• fresh/just off the boat
• jolly boat
• miss the boat
• motor torpedo boat
• narrow boat
• pedal boat
• PT boat
• push the boat out
• Q-boat
• rock the boat
• rowing boat
• swan boat
• torpedo boat
• U-boat

Kids Definition

boat

1 of 2 noun

ˈbōt 

1

: a small vessel for travel on water

2

: ship entry 1 sense 1

3

: a boat-shaped utensil

gravy boat

boat

2 of 2 verb

1

: to put into or carry in a boat

2

: to travel by boat