: any of various recreational watercraft: such as
a
: a sailboat used for racing
b
: a large usually motor-driven craft used for pleasure cruising
Examples of yacht in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Lisa Lockwood, WWD, 21 June 2024
The onboard selection overflows with yacht charter favorites: Cristal and Dom Pérignon for Champagne, small parcel reds and whites from Burgundy, and, of course, a fine collection from Bordeaux.
—Chrissie McClatchie, Robb Report, 20 June 2024
Emma Soren, Vulture, 3 June 2024
The Italian builder, one of seven brands owned by yachting behemoth Ferretti Group, invited 60 international clients and two journalists to travel from Paris to Venice aboard the legendary train for the debut of the new 127-footer.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 15 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for yacht 
Noun
Hilfiger got on board with competitive sailing in 2003 when the company sponsored the American sailor Brad Van Liew in the Around Alone yacht race.
—Lisa Lockwood, WWD, 21 June 2024
The onboard selection overflows with yacht charter favorites: Cristal and Dom Pérignon for Champagne, small parcel reds and whites from Burgundy, and, of course, a fine collection from Bordeaux.
—Chrissie McClatchie, Robb Report, 20 June 2024
Verb
Bri, Third Stew: Bri’s been in yachting for two years on smaller boats than the Mustique.
—Emma Soren, Vulture, 3 June 2024
The Italian builder, one of seven brands owned by yachting behemoth Ferretti Group, invited 60 international clients and two journalists to travel from Paris to Venice aboard the legendary train for the debut of the new 127-footer.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 15 May 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.
Dictionary Entries Near yacht
Cite this Entry
“Yacht.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yacht. Accessed 27 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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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