mast

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈmast 

1

: a long pole or spar rising from the keel or deck of a ship and supporting the yards, booms, and rigging

2

: a slender vertical or nearly vertical structure (such as an upright post in various cranes)

3

: a disciplinary proceeding at which the commanding officer of a naval unit hears and disposes of cases against enlisted men

called also captain's mast

masted

ˈma-stəd 

adjective

mast

2 of 3

verb

masted; masting; masts

transitive verb

: to furnish with a mast

mast

3 of 3

noun (2)

: fruits, seeds, or nuts (such as berries, pine seeds, or acorns) of trees or shrubs that serve as food for wild or domestic animals and typically accumulate on the ground

Phrases

before the mast

1

: forward of the foremast

2

: as a common sailor

Examples of mast in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Yet European beeches reliably mast together despite huge differences in regional weather. —Quanta Magazine, 18 June 2024

These are the foods that carry deer through winter, not ag fields and mast crops. —Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 12 Sep. 2024

Noun

The rings would have strengthened the masts of a large oceangoing sailing ship. —Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024

But in the Odyssey, Homer’s epic Greek poem about Odysseus’ sea journey home from Troy, the hero saved his crew lured by the sirens by lashing himself to the mast as the ship made its way through a narrow area surrounded by cliffs and other danger. —Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 19 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English mæst; akin to Old High German mast mast, Latin malus

Noun (2)

Middle English, from Old English mæst; akin to Old High German mast food, mast, and probably to Old English mete food — more at meat

First Known Use

Noun (1)

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

Verb

circa 1513, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing mast

• captain's mast
• half-mast
• mast cell
• mast year

Kids Definition

mast

noun

ˈmast

1

: a long pole that rises from the bottom of a ship or boat and supports the sails and rigging

2

: an upright tall pole (as on a crane)

masted

ˈmas-təd

adjective

Medical Definition

MAST

abbreviation

military anti-shock trousers