: 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
Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 6 Apr. 2024 On the rerun, Ripa and Consuelos complimented Blige on a photo of her looking fabulous in her bathing suit while posing on a yacht, Page Six reported. —Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2024 Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock Photo: Getty Images Anderson and Rock (unsurprisingly) skirted a traditional church venue, choosing to tie the knot in 2006 on a yacht in Saint-Tropez. —Christian Allaire, Vogue, 3 Apr. 2024 And who wouldn’t want to spend the day basking in the sun on such a lovely yacht? —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 1 Apr. 2024 Attorneys for Jones said in the lawsuit that the incident happened on a yacht rented by Combs in the U.S. Virgin Islands in January 2023. —Phil Helsel, NBC News, 26 Mar. 2024 The pop star and her father, then 71, were coming off a yacht at the Neutral Bay Wharf, where veteran paparazzi photographer Ben McDonald was taking photos of them, the Associated Press reported at the time. —Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2024 Photographer Ben McDonald claimed Scott Swift punched him after Swift stepped off a yacht with his daughter last month. —Katherine Itoh, NBC News, 27 Mar. 2024 Four Seasons says the yacht also offers 50 percent more living space per guest than comparable vessels on the seas. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 27 Mar. 2024
Armond White, National Review, 12 Jan. 2024 As Diana and Dodi continued spending time together in August 1997, from yachting in the Mediterranean to entertaining at Dodi’s residences in London, the press attention surrounding the couple intensified. —Lynsey Eidell, Peoplemag, 14 Nov. 2023 Arnold Schwarzenegger likely won't be yachting with Sylvester Stallone anytime soon. —Andrea Mandell, Peoplemag, 4 Oct. 2023 Its strong colors and precise geometric shapes also translate well to yachting, with Phoenix 2, Sycara IV, and classic yacht Malahne all striking examples. —Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 18 Aug. 2023 On Friday, the model and DiCaprio were spotted yachting together in Sardinia, sparking speculation that the pair was an item. —Henry Chandonnet, Peoplemag, 28 July 2023 The trailer shows Barbie and Ken, played by Ryan Gosling, driving in a convertible through the desert, flying in a rocket through space, snowmobiling through the mountains, and yachting through (supposedly) the South China Sea. —Rachel Shin, Fortune, 7 July 2023 Methanol hasn’t impacted yachting the way batteries have. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 19 Apr. 2023 By ferrying scientists to and from remote locations, yachting families can take a hands-on approach to ocean conservation. —Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 11 Jan. 2022
Noun
David Beckham and Victoria Beckham's Relationship Timeline The couple recently celebrated the Easter holiday on a yacht with their kids, Harper, 12, Cruz, 19, and Brooklyn, 25, and daughter-in-law Nicola Peltz Beckham, 29. —Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 6 Apr. 2024 On the rerun, Ripa and Consuelos complimented Blige on a photo of her looking fabulous in her bathing suit while posing on a yacht, Page Six reported. —Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2024 Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock Photo: Getty Images Anderson and Rock (unsurprisingly) skirted a traditional church venue, choosing to tie the knot in 2006 on a yacht in Saint-Tropez. —Christian Allaire, Vogue, 3 Apr. 2024 And who wouldn’t want to spend the day basking in the sun on such a lovely yacht? —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 1 Apr. 2024 Attorneys for Jones said in the lawsuit that the incident happened on a yacht rented by Combs in the U.S. Virgin Islands in January 2023. —Phil Helsel, NBC News, 26 Mar. 2024 The pop star and her father, then 71, were coming off a yacht at the Neutral Bay Wharf, where veteran paparazzi photographer Ben McDonald was taking photos of them, the Associated Press reported at the time. —Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2024 Photographer Ben McDonald claimed Scott Swift punched him after Swift stepped off a yacht with his daughter last month. —Katherine Itoh, NBC News, 27 Mar. 2024 Four Seasons says the yacht also offers 50 percent more living space per guest than comparable vessels on the seas. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 27 Mar. 2024
Verb
Who can believe that between kite-surfing with Richard Branson and yachting on the Mediterranean with Spielberg, Springsteen, and Tom Hanks, Obama actually had time to keep up with the film, music, and book industries? —Armond White, National Review, 12 Jan. 2024 As Diana and Dodi continued spending time together in August 1997, from yachting in the Mediterranean to entertaining at Dodi’s residences in London, the press attention surrounding the couple intensified. —Lynsey Eidell, Peoplemag, 14 Nov. 2023 Arnold Schwarzenegger likely won't be yachting with Sylvester Stallone anytime soon. —Andrea Mandell, Peoplemag, 4 Oct. 2023 Its strong colors and precise geometric shapes also translate well to yachting, with Phoenix 2, Sycara IV, and classic yacht Malahne all striking examples. —Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 18 Aug. 2023 On Friday, the model and DiCaprio were spotted yachting together in Sardinia, sparking speculation that the pair was an item. —Henry Chandonnet, Peoplemag, 28 July 2023 The trailer shows Barbie and Ken, played by Ryan Gosling, driving in a convertible through the desert, flying in a rocket through space, snowmobiling through the mountains, and yachting through (supposedly) the South China Sea. —Rachel Shin, Fortune, 7 July 2023 Methanol hasn’t impacted yachting the way batteries have. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 19 Apr. 2023 By ferrying scientists to and from remote locations, yachting families can take a hands-on approach to ocean conservation. —Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 11 Jan. 2022
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.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
obsolete Dutch jaght, from Middle Low German jacht, short for jachtschip, literally, hunting ship
Phrases Containing yacht
Dictionary Entries Near yacht
Cite this Entry
“Yacht.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yacht. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids 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.
More from Merriam-Webster on yacht
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for yacht
Nglish: Translation of yacht for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of yacht for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about yacht
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