longboat

noun

long·​boat ˈlȯŋ-ˌbōt How to pronounce longboat (audio)
: a large oared boat usually carried by a merchant sailing ship

Examples of longboat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web From medieval sailors buried beneath the cobblestone streets in Visby to the ruins of Norse shipyards where longboats were built 1,000 years ago, ancient maritime lore suffuses the island. Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 18 Feb. 2024 The soldiers loosed a volley or two of musket fire at the mass of agitated native inhabitants and made a hasty retreat to their longboat. Adam Goodheart, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Sep. 2023 The horn emanating from the golden helm is an underrated detail, as are the shoulder stripes symbolizing Norse longboats. Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 21 Apr. 2023 Local participants, called guizers, celebrate their Norse heritage by dressing in Viking gear and marching through the town of Lerwick with battle axes and torches, dragging a ceremonial Viking longboat with them. Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 1 Feb. 2023 At the end of the procession, the guizers hurl their flaming torches onto the longboat and set it ablaze. Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 1 Feb. 2023 During the War of 1812, the original lightkeeper’s daughters, Abigail and Rebecca Bates, noticed a British warship approaching and launching a longboat to loot the town for supplies. Bailey Allen, BostonGlobe.com, 6 Oct. 2022 Each colorful tableau is crammed with weird and funny things: giant tomatoes, a waterfall shaped like a teakettle, gnomes in a longboat. Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 15 Oct. 2021 The current shoulder silhouettes evoking a Nordic longboat are another deft touch. Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'longboat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of longboat was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near longboat

Cite this Entry

“Longboat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/longboat. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

longboat

noun
long·​boat ˈlȯŋ-ˌbōt How to pronounce longboat (audio)
: a large boat carried on a ship

More from Merriam-Webster on longboat

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