gunter rig

noun

variants or less commonly gunter

plural -s

: a rig used on a small sailing boat consisting of an upper mast stepped in a gunter iron and moved up or down on a lower mast and supporting a yard to which is laced a triangular sail

called also sliding gunter

Word History

Etymology

after Edmund Gunter †1626 English mathematician; from its resemblance to an instrument used in making mathematical calculations according to a system devised by Gunter

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!