yacht definition and origin

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Definition of yacht

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Definition of yacht  (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

Examples of yacht in a Sentence

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

obsolete Dutch jaght , from Middle Low German jacht , short for jachtschip , literally, hunting ship

1557, in the meaning defined above

1836, in the meaning defined above

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Cite this Entry

“Yacht.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yacht. Accessed 19 Sep. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of yacht.

Kids Definition of yacht  (Entry 2 of 2)

from obsolete Dutch jaght (now jacht ), short for jachtschip, literally, "hunting ship"

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1550s, yeaghe "a light, fast-sailing ship," from Norwegian jaght or early Dutch jaght , both from Middle Low German jacht , shortened form of jachtschip "fast pirate ship," literally "ship for chasing," from jacht "chase," from jagen "to chase, hunt," from Old High German jagon , from Proto-Germanic *yago- , from PIE root *yek- (2) "to hunt" (source also of Hittite ekt- "hunting net"). Related: Yachting ; yachtsman .

Entries linking to yacht

Old English huntian "chase game" (transitive and intransitive), perhaps developed from hunta "hunter," and related to hentan "to seize," from Proto-Germanic *huntojan (source also of Gothic hinþan "to seize, capture," Old High German hunda "booty"), which is of uncertain origin.

Not the usual Germanic word for this, which is represented by Dutch jagen , German jagen (see yacht (n.)). General sense of "search diligently" (for anything) is recorded from c. 1200. Related: Hunted ; hunting . To hunt (something) up "search for until found" is from 1791. Parlor game hunt the slipper is attested from 1766.

also jaeger , "German sharpshooter," 1776, from German Jäger , literally "huntsman," from jagen "to hunt," from Old High German jagon , related to Old Frisian jagia , Dutch jagen "to hunt," Old Norse jaga "to drive, to move to and fro" (see yacht (n.)). Applied to riflemen and sharpshooters in the German and Austrian armies. Englished as yager , yaeger from 1804.

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What is a Yacht? History, Types of Yachts, Styles, and Sizes

In this article, we explain the definition, history and origin of the word yacht, and break down some of the more common types of yachts along with various styles and sizes.

Yacht Definition & Origin

The word yacht comes from the Dutch word “jacht”, which means to hunt, and refers to the quick and lightweight sailboats the Dutch navy used to pursue pirates and other enemies in shallow waters. Today, the word takes on a very different meaning. While there is no strict definition of the word today, a yacht is generally considered as a boat used for pleasure, whether you’re cruising open waters, racing or island-hopping for the weekend. Typically, we consider a boat to be a yacht if it has an overnight cabin onboard, is more than 33 feet long, and generally looks nicer than your average vessel.

Pleasure boats have been around for hundreds of years, which is no surprise when you consider our options for transportation around that time. Without planes, cars, bikes or scooters, humans turned to the one form of transportation they knew well for pleasure – the ship.

Sailing Yacht History

Sailing yachts have been a thing since at least the beginning of the 1660s in Europe, when King James of England commissioned a sailing yacht for his son Henry, the Prince of Wales. But it was Charles II, the Kind of Scotland, who brought the term “yacht” into the mainstream after spending time exiled in the Netherlands. Once Charles got home, he began commissioning royal yachts left and right.

Steam Yacht History

Steam Yachts also have quite the history, which started as massive and luxurious sailing yachts with steam auxiliary engines. These yachts were much larger, and carried full crews complete with a cook, captain, engineer, stewards and deck hands. By the late 1700s, screw propellers were installed and the engines became far more efficient. Eventually, compound engines came about and persisted until the internal combustion took over.

Power Yacht History

Powerboats with 4-stroke gas engines were first developed by Nicolaus Otto and Gottlieb Daimler in 1876. Then in the 1900s, diesel engines became the more popular option because of their lower cost and improved reliability.

Yacht Types

Today, yachts fall into one of two general categories – sailing yachts and motor yachts.

Sailing Yachts

A sailing yacht is a leisure craft that relies on its sails for the primary method of movement, made from natural, synthetic or carbon fibers. Sailing yachts are split into two main categories: cruisers and raisers.

Cruising Yachts

A cruising yacht is designed for comfort above anything else. These yachts are ideal for overnight and lengthy journeys, typically equipped with all the comforts of home, including full kitchens (galleys), bathrooms (heads) and beds. They’re also designed to be slightly easier to maintain.

At the smaller end, we have what’s called as a “trailer sailer”. These yachts are generally shorter than 25 feet, and can be pulled by the average car. But anything shorter than 33 feet is considered a small sailing yacht. The next level is 33-45 feet, referred to as near-shore yachts. Offshore yachts are the largest category, including vessels larger than 45 feet.

Racing Yachts

A racing yacht is designed with performance top of mind, rather than comfort. World Sailing, the governing body for the sport of international sailing, recognizes 11 different classes of sailing yachts, but each share some general characteristics.

On a racing yacht, aerodynamics is prioritized. These yachts come in a variety of shapes and weights, but performance is the underlying motivation for all. Similar to aerodynamics but underwater, hydrodynamically efficient hulls allow boats to pull through the water with minimal drag or extra motion. Finally, for peak performance, these sailing yachts typically use full-battened Kevlar or carbon fiber sails.

Motor Yachts

Motor yachts come in all shapes and sizes, built with a variety of different materials. Generally speaking, they range from 30-130 feet in length, but there are superyachts out there exceeding 500 feet (that’s over 150 metres!).

The hull of a motor yachts comes in three basic styles. A yacht with a full-displacement hull moves the water up and away, creating waves. These boats have the potential to be plenty powerful, but their speed is limited. Semi-displacement hulls are slightly faster, because they’re able to partially rise above the water. Last are the yachts with a planing hull. These yachts are the fastest, because of a flat underside and enough power to lift them onto the surface of the water.

The majority of modern motor yachts have at least one diesel engine. A boat with two engines is certainly more expensive, but well worth it when you consider the reliability and increased handling/performance.

When it comes to motor yacht styles, there are many. Here’s a brief introduction to a few different motor yacht styles:

• Sport Motor Yacht : These powerful crafts are built with a semi-displacement and planing hulls, making them fast boats great for weekend adventures and short trips.
• Trawler Motor Yacht : A trawler is known for its more traditional style with a displacement hull, designed for medium distance passage-making.
• Cruising Motor Yacht : A cruising yacht is built for comfortable longer distance travel, equipped with a displacement hull.
• Expedition Yacht : Similar to a cruising motor yacht, expedition yachts are built with a displacement hull for long distances, but these crafts specialize in passage-making in remote areas.
• Mega Luxury Yachts : The mega luxury yachts is what you see and hear about on TV and in magazines. They’re hundred of feet long, designed for dozens of family and friends, and reserved for the super-rich.
• Sports Fisherman Yacht : These yachts have semi-displacement or planing hulls for quick fishing trips where you need to be able to move well. On a sports fisherman yacht, there will also be extra space for fishing gear and large fish.
• Lobster Yacht : A lobster yacht is similar to but quicker than a trawler, built with a semi-displacement or planing hull. These yachts get their name from their unique style – looking like classic Maine lobster boats.

If you’re looking for a new yacht, browse our current listings of sailing and motor yachts at Van Isle Marina. You can also visit us in Sidney at 2320 Harbour Road to see our stock in person, and our staff will be happy to help you out.

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The Yacht – The Meaning and the Origin of the Word

In my language there are a few words for a floating object, or a vessel. According to the size and the purpose of the vessel, those words could be translated as “dinghy”, “yacht”, “boat” or “ship”. Some types of vessels have international names, for example “catamaran” or “hovercraft”.

What Does Yacht Mean?

However, when you say “ yacht” in my language, everyone know exactly what it is about. The word “yacht”, unlike other terms, has certain connotations. It always links with something classy, fancy, wealthy, elegant, and even glamorous.

For example, if you say that you have spent a week aboard a sailing boat , the recations of people will be more or less neutral. On the other hand, if you say that your week aboard a yacht was excellent, many people will become jealous. They will imagine you in a scene from a James Bond movie : aboard a massive white yacht in Monte Carlo , having a cold martini (shaken, not stirred)…

I wanted to share with you this language introduction because I found an interesting story about the word “yacht” and its origin. The word “yacht” became an English and an international term after an event that happened a long time ago.

How Do You Spell ‘Yacht’?

This word comes from the Dutch word “jacht”, which means “hunt”. Furthermore, “ j achtschepen” was the name for narrow, light and very fast sailing boats that the Dutchmen were using for intercepting larger and slower boats and ships.

One of the ‘hunters’ was given as a present to the British king Charles II . In His Majesty’s free time this vessel was not used for intercepting. Instead, was using it for fun. That is why the word “yacht” eventually became the term for vessels/boats made for pleasure.

I would highly appreciate comments from the native speakers of the  English and Dutch languages. Especially since I am not one of them. No matter whether this story is true or not, it still sounds interesting to me.

Find out more about sailing quotes and phrases here .

I wish you a calm sea, a fine wind and a strong mast!

8 thoughts on “The Yacht – The Meaning and the Origin of the Word”

I looked up the origin of the word yacht, and it said it is a mid 16th century, Early Modern Dutch word from ‘jaght,’ from ‘jaghtschip’ meaning “fast pirate ship,” from ‘jaght’ which means “hunting” + ‘schip’ meaning “ship”.

I like the story of King Charles. It makes sense that that is why a yacht has the definite aura of wealth and pleasure!

Almost but not 100%. Actually the verb ‘jagen’ to hunt goes back to middle high German,i.e. Deutsch not Dutch, and before that it was ‘jagon’ in lower high German. But it seems that it all started with Greek and travelled North.

I guess that mid 16th century, the Dutch word jaght or jaghtschip was the word that got picked up. Not the earlier middle high German word where it came from.

Today it is jacht in Dutch, meaning hunting and it also the word for a luxury sailing boat.

In German Jagd is the word for hunt. Germans use the Dutch or English Jacht or Yacht for the boat.

Did the Germans design the original schooners? I think not! Since some Netherlanders speak a form of the Deutschland language, this word is shared (jacht/Dutch—jagd/German: meaning to hunt). It was the Dutch (Netherlanders) who designed the “flyut” or flute sailing ships, l-o-n-g before any British ever thought of such a ship—and—any German. The schooner grew out of the basic designs of the Dutch flute sailing ship (known for it’s speed). The Dutch economy relied heavily on trade and shipping, and were, thus, cutting edge innovators in ship building. Their engineering skills, was and is, plainly seen in their dike system, as well.

My father built a beautiful wooden replica of the”yacht” referred by the author (“Yacht Mary”) which was a present from the city of Amsterdam to King Charles II of England in 1660. They wrecked the ship a few years later (already too much partying on yachts, perhaps?)

I noticed the plaque that came with the model ship spelled the name as “Yatch” Mary. First, I thought, maybe, it was old English or Dutch spelling but it looks like it was just an error.

Nice, We have made an eplainermovie about this subject!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3HDZHF8w2E

In my head yogurt used to be spelled yoghurt and yacht used to be spelled yaught. Am I completely mis-remembering?

Dear Margaret, you are quite right for the spelling of the word yogurt that used to be, and sometimes still is, spelled with its old spelling yoghurt. However, there are no traces of the word yacht to have ever been spelled as yaught, but it would be best to take an etymology expert’s word for it.

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Yacht : modern meaning of the term and types of boats

• Luca D'Ambrosio
• February 25, 2023

The etymology of the term yacht comes from the Dutch word ‘jacht’, which was used in the past to define the fast sailing vessels used to hunt down pirates along the coasts of northern Europe.

Today, the term ‘yacht’ is used to describe all recreational vessels, whether sailing or motor-powered, with at least one cabin that allows the crew to sleep on board.

There is no established definition for the length of this family of boats, but common usage tends to define a yacht as a vessel longer than 33 feet, or about 10 meters.

As mentioned above, a yacht may be equipped with sailing, motor or mixed propulsion. It can have more than one hull, and if it exceeds 25 meters it also deserves the definition of superyacht . When a yacht is over 50 meters it is called a megayacht and, more and more frequently, when it exceeds 100 meters it becomes a gigayacht.

A yacht normally flies a flag that corresponds to the country where the vessel is registered, not least because, if it does not, it may be captured and taken to the nearest port for ‘flag survey’. As far as international maritime law is concerned, the yacht is considered in all respects to be the territory of the country of the flag it flies, to whose sovereignty the crew is subject.

A yacht flying the flag of a country, unless there is well-founded suspicion of illegal activity, can only be stopped for inspection by the military vessels of that country. When a yacht enters the territorial waters of a country other than that of its flag, it is obliged to fly a courtesy flag.

This is tantamount to a declaration of submission to the navigational laws of the country in which it is sailing.

Sailing and motor-powered yachts

The first major distinction is between sailing yachts and motoryachts. The current worldwide spread of these two families has shifted decisively towards motor yachts, which make up about 75% of the total sailing fleet.

Progress and design have produced many different categories of motor yachts, so let’s discover them together.

Motoryachts

Seen from the stern, a flybridge yacht is often equipped with a “beach club”, a platform that facilitates access to the sea and on which water toys are placed or simply used for diving. A staircase, or even two symmetrical staircases, leads from this platform to the main deck. Sometimes there is a “garage” between these two staircases to house the engine room, a tender and other on-board equipment.

The main deck is characterized by the presence of a helm station, inside of which a large open-space salon houses settees and a galley. The helm station often leads below deck, also known as the lower deck, where the sleeping quarters, or cabins, are normally located.

The foredeck often has a large sundeck bordered by a “bowplate” for hauling anchor. The bow is often “fenced in” by the handrails, which are vital grips for safety at sea.

Let’s get to why a yacht is called a flybridge. The flybridge is an upper deck, open 360 degrees and often covered by a hard-top, a roof usually made of fibreglass. The flybridge usually has an additional helm station to steer from a more panoramic position. An additional galley is often located on the flybridge, as well as additional lounge seating and sun decks.

Open Yachts

An open yacht has no flybridge and its main deck is commonly all open. The helm station can frequently be sheltered by a T-Top. Below deck, depending on the length of the yacht, there are living spaces for the crew which may include dinette, cabins and facilities. Open yachts can be walk-around, i.e. with the possibility for passengers of walking freely around the perimeter of the boat, or they can have an enclosed bow and thus have a raised deck.

A coupe yacht is a yacht without a flybridge, characterized by a sporty design, with the main deck open aft. Very often it has a sunroof and is always equipped with side-decks connecting the stern to the bow. It is a vessel that, depending on its size, is suitable for medium to long-distance cruising.

This is an important type of yacht, which has its origins on the American East Coast where it was used to catch lobsters. It has a romantic, sometimes vintage aesthetic, and is endowed with sinuous lines that, for some, are evocative of the 1950s. Very suitable for cruising and conviviality, thanks also to a large sofa in the cockpit, the lobster is an iconic boat that offers plenty of comfort and space below deck for at least one cabin and one head.

The trawler is essentially a yacht for owners who want to spend a lot of time on board. This is why interior volumes are maximized and the upper deck is always present. Also part of the trawler family are the famous Menorcan boats, inspired by the llaüts of the Menorca island..

Increasingly popular among motor yachts, too, is the multihull, due to its inherent features of stability and capacity. In most cases it is a catamaran designed for long stays at sea.

Sailing yacht

Sailing yachts are vessels where propulsion should mainly rely on the power transmitted by the wind. In the past, sailing yacht engines were low-powered and mainly used for entering and leaving ports, but today, for obvious reasons of practicality and ease of use, they have enough power to make the sailing yacht cruise at a speed at least equal to its theoretical hull speed. This means that sailing yachts can be used efficiently even in the total absence of wind.

A sailing yacht can be rigged in many different ways, these being the most common in modern times:

Sloop : this is the most common rigging on modern boats, characterized by the presence of a single mast with a mainsail and a jib or genoa. Sloop rigging has become popular over the years because it is the easiest to handle with a small crew and also offers the best ease of use/sailing performance ratio.

Cutter : Widely used for long distance sailing, it is characterized by the presence of a mainsail and two jibs rigged on a single mast. Normally the two jibs are a genoa and foresail that are used individually, depending on the weather conditions.

Ketch : this is the most commonly used rig on two-masted sailing yachts, with a mainmast, rigged with a mainsail and genoa, and a mizzenmast, forward of the rudder shaft, rigged with a single mainsail. The splitting of the sails makes this type of yacht suitable for sailing in bad weather.

Yawl : exactly the same as a ketch but with the mizzen mast located aft of the rudder shaft.

Sailing yachts can be monohulls or multihulls, i.e. catamarans or trimarans, but in all cases they can be divided into these categories:

Easy to handle and with plenty of space above and below deck, this type of yacht is normally characterized by an unbalanced length/width ratio favouring the latter, a small sail area and more powerful than average engines.

The interiors are fully equipped and sophisticated, with each cabin often having its own en-suite head.

The deck plan and sailing equipment are simplified, often electrified and minimal.

Cruiser-Racer

This yacht, while still featuring a luxurious and complete interior, also has all the equipment needed for sail fine-tuning and a generous sail area.

This is a category where special attention is paid to both the overall weight of the boat and the hull shape.

The hull lines are in fact designed to enhance performance and, inevitably, this results in a slightly smaller interior than that of pure cruising yachts of the same length.

Racer-Cruiser

The owner who buys this type of yacht has already competed in club competitions and now wants to engage in higher level racing. The hulls are light and can sometimes be made of carbon, and all the sail adjustments are fine-tuned to achieve maximum performance.

The deck plan is definitely designed for crewed racing and the sail area/displacement ratio is unbalanced in favour of the former, making this yacht more difficult to handle with a smaller crew but, conversely, capable of performance similar to a pure racing yacht.

A pure racing yacht is a sailing yacht built exclusively for racing. Free from any commercial constraints, it is built according to the type of race to be competed in and, above all, the rating to be obtained. The interiors of this boat are minimal. This yacht is capable of planing and sailing upwind at very low wind angles, but is almost never used for recreational purposes.

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• 1.1 Etymology
• 1.2 Pronunciation
• 1.3.1 Derived terms
• 1.3.2 Translations
• 1.4.1 Translations
• 1.5 Anagrams
• 2.1 Etymology
• 2.2 Pronunciation
• 2.4 Further reading
• 3.1 Etymology
• 3.2 Pronunciation
• 3.4 References
• 3.5 Further reading
• 4.1 Etymology
• 5.1 Etymology
• 5.3 References
• 6.1 Etymology
• 6.3 References
• 7.1 Alternative forms
• 7.2 Etymology
• 7.3.1 Declension
• 7.3.2 Derived terms
• 7.4 Further reading

Circa 1557; variant of yaught , earlier yeaghe ( “ light, fast-sailing ship ” ) , from Dutch jacht ( “ yacht; hunt ” ) , in older spelling jaght(e) , short for jaghtschip ( “ light sailing vessel, fast pirate ship ” , literally “ pursuit ship ” ) , compound of jacht and schip ( “ ship ” ) .

In the 16th century the Dutch built light, fast ships to chase the ships of pirates and smugglers from the coast. The ship was introduced to England in 1660 when the Dutch East India Company presented one to King Charles II, who used it as a pleasure boat, after which it was copied by British shipbuilders as a pleasure craft for wealthy gentlemen.

Pronunciation

• ( UK ) enPR : yŏt , IPA ( key ) : /jɒt/
• ( US ) enPR : yät , IPA ( key ) : /jɑːt/ , /jɑt/

• Rhymes: -ɒt

yacht ( plural yachts )

• 1897 December (indicated as 1898 ), Winston Churchill , chapter X, in The Celebrity: An Episode , New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company ; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd. , →OCLC : The skipper Mr. Cooke had hired at Far Harbor was a God-fearing man with a luke warm interest in his new billet and employer, and had only been prevailed upon to take charge of the yacht after the offer of an emolument equal to half a year's sea pay of an ensign in the navy.
• 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers , chapter VI, in The Younger Set , New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company , →OCLC : “I don’t mean all of your friends—only a small proportion—which, however, connects your circle with that deadly, idle, brainless bunch—the insolent chatterers at the opera,   [ … ] , the chlorotic squatters on huge yachts ,   [ … ] , the neurotic victims of mental cirrhosis, the jewelled animals whose moral code is the code of the barnyard—!"

Derived terms

• motor yacht , motoryacht , MY
• sailing yacht , steam yacht , SY
• yacht person

Translations

yacht ( third-person singular simple present yachts , present participle yachting , simple past and past participle yachted )

• ( intransitive ) To sail , voyage , or race in a yacht .

• Cathy , tachy , tachy- , yatch

Borrowed from English yacht , from Dutch jacht .

• IPA ( key ) : /jɔt/ , /jot/ , ( Canada ) /jat/

yacht   m ( plural yachts )

Further reading

• “ yacht ”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [ Digitized Treasury of the French Language ] , 2012 .

Unadapted borrowing from English yacht .

• IPA ( key ) : /ˈjɔt/ [ 1 ]
• Rhymes: -ɔt

yacht   m ( invariable )

• the letter Y in the Italian spelling alphabet
• ^ yacht in Luciano Canepari , Dizionario di Pronuncia Italiana (DiPI)
• yacht in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line , Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

Borrowed from English yacht .

yacht   ? ( plural yachts )

• ( Jersey ) yacht

Norwegian Bokmål

From Dutch jacht , via English yacht .

yacht   m ( definite singular yachten , indefinite plural yachter , definite plural yachtene )

• “yacht” in The Bokmål Dictionary .

Norwegian Nynorsk

yacht   m ( definite singular yachten , indefinite plural yachtar , definite plural yachtane )

• “yacht” in The Nynorsk Dictionary .

Alternative forms

yacht   c

• yacht in Svenska Akademiens ordlista ( SAOL )
• yacht in Svensk ordbok ( SO )
• yacht in Svenska Akademiens ordbok ( SAOB )
• yacht in Svenskt nautiskt lexikon (1920)

• English terms derived from Dutch
• English 1-syllable words
• English terms with IPA pronunciation
• English terms with audio links
• Rhymes:English/ɒt
• Rhymes:English/ɒt/1 syllable
• English lemmas
• English nouns
• English countable nouns
• English terms with usage examples
• English terms with quotations
• English verbs
• English intransitive verbs
• en:Watercraft
• French terms borrowed from English
• French terms derived from English
• French terms derived from Dutch
• French 1-syllable words
• French terms with IPA pronunciation
• French terms with audio links
• French lemmas
• French nouns
• French countable nouns
• French masculine nouns
• fr:Watercraft
• French loanwords with irregular pronunciations
• Italian terms borrowed from English
• Italian unadapted borrowings from English
• Italian terms derived from English
• Italian 1-syllable words
• Italian terms with IPA pronunciation
• Rhymes:Italian/ɔt
• Rhymes:Italian/ɔt/1 syllable
• Italian lemmas
• Italian nouns
• Italian indeclinable nouns
• Italian countable nouns
• Italian terms spelled with Y
• Italian masculine nouns
• Norman terms borrowed from English
• Norman terms derived from English
• Norman lemmas
• Norman nouns
• Jersey Norman
• nrf:Watercraft
• Norwegian Bokmål terms derived from Dutch
• Norwegian Bokmål terms derived from English
• Norwegian Bokmål lemmas
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Meaning of yacht – Learner’s Dictionary

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(Definition of yacht from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Translations of yacht

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Word of the Day

detective work

the activity of searching for information about something, often over a long period

A finger in every pie: phrases with the word ‘finger’

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Definition of yacht noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

17500.8617601.117701.017801.717901.618001.718101.118201.218301.318401.518502.018602.918703.918804.618904.919004.819104.919204.819304.519403.819503.219603.019703.019803.019902.920002.820102.9

How is the noun yacht pronounced?

British english, u.s. english, where does the noun yacht come from.

Earliest known use

The earliest known use of the noun yacht is in the late 1500s.

OED's earliest evidence for yacht is from before 1584, in the writing of S. Borough.

yacht is a borrowing from Dutch .

Etymons: Dutch jaght(e .

Nearby entries

• yabber, v. 1841–
• yabbering, n. 1839–
• yabble, n. 1827–
• yabble, v. 1808–
• yabbler, n. 1901–
• yabby, n. 1887–
• yabby, v. 1941–
• yabbying, n. 1934–
• yabu, n. 1753–
• yacca, n. 1843–
• yacht, n. a1584–
• yacht, v. 1836–
• yacht basin, n. 1929–
• yacht broker, n. 1882–
• yachtdom, n. 1901–
• yachter, n. 1828–
• yachtery, n. 1861–
• yachtian, n. 1842–
• yachtie, n. 1874–
• yachting, n. 1836–
• yachting, adj. 1847–

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Meaning & use

Pronunciation, compounds & derived words, entry history for yacht, n..

yacht, n. was first published in 1921; not yet revised.

yacht, n. was last modified in July 2023.

Revision of the OED is a long-term project. Entries in oed.com which have not been revised may include:

• corrections and revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
• new senses, phrases, and quotations which have been added in subsequent print and online updates.

Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into yacht, n. in July 2023.

Earlier versions of this entry were published in:

OED First Edition (1921)

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OED Second Edition (1989)

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Citation details

Factsheet for yacht, n., browse entry.

Yacht Rock Essentials: “What You Won’t Do for Love,” the Massive Debut Single from Bobby Caldwell

Jim Beviglia

There was a bit of mystery and sleight of hand at play when Bobby Caldwell hit it big with his single “What You Won’t Do for Love” in 1978. But that has long since faded, and the charms of the smooth song that fits so comfortably into so many genres, including yacht rock, have endured.

Videos by American Songwriter

What is the song about? How did Caldwell write it on demand? And why did Caldwell’s record company tried to hide his identity to an extent when the song was released? Here are the details behind “What You Won’t Do for Love,” Caldwell’s first and most successful single.

A Multifaceted Background

When you hear “What You Won’t Do for Love,” you’ll probably notice it’s somewhat uncategorizable, in large part because it seems to draw from a deep well of influences. That starts to make sense when you understand how Bobby Caldwell came to that point in his career.

Born in Manhattan, raised in Miami, Caldwell was turned on by his parents to big-band singing heroes like Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra. A multi-instrumentalist, he worked for a while in Little Richard’s touring band, while also spending time as a member of the Miami outfit Kathmandu. He was good friends with Bob Marley.

All those various experiences and influences eventually earned him a record deal with TK Records. That label did big business in the disco-heavy late ’70s, most notably with KC & the Sunshine Band. Caldwell earned the opportunity to release his debut album as a singer/songwriter on the label in 1978.

“Love” Story

Caldwell wrote and recorded several songs he thought were prime candidates for a release as a single. But the record label pushed him to keep trying, as they weren’t blown away with his choices. He quickly came back with “What You Won’t Do for Love,” which was co-written by Alfons Kettner.

The song boasted an outstanding horn arrangement provided by Mike Lewis. This was exactly what the label had been seeking. But they made the interesting decision to restrain from publicizing Caldwell’s picture, as they correctly surmised that many audience members wouldn’t realize, based on his soulful voice and the smoothly funky arrangement, that he was white.

They needn’t have worried. Caldwell eventually had to go out and promote the record, and it didn’t stop the momentum of “What You Won’t Do for Love.” The song hit the Top 10, and endured not just through its inclusion on yacht rock stations and playlists, but also from being sampled often, most notably by Tupac Shakur on his 1998 song “Do for Love.”

What is the Meaning of “What You Won’t Do for Love”?

Caldwell’s lyrics on “What You Don’t For Love” touch on many aspects surrounding the search for that all-too elusive connection. His narrator begins by explaining it took some work on himself before he was ready to open up to someone else: I guess you wonder where I’ve been / I searched to find the love within .

The self-discovery led him to an inescapable conclusion: Got a thing for you and I can’t let go . And he laments there are those who don’t ever experience what he has discovered: Some people go around the world for love / But they never find what they dream of . The title refers to the hangups that ultimately hold you back from a special relationship, which need to be overcome: In my world, only you / Makes me do for love what I would not do.

It’s a clever and novel way to say what’s been said in song many times before. “What You Won’t Do for Love” propelled Bobby Caldwell into a long, varied career in music. He passed away in 2023, leaving behind an impressive legacy and a signature song that, contrary to initial worries, has enthralled all races and creeds over the years.

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Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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Phrase Finder

• That ship has sailed

What is the meaning of the phrase ‘that ship has sailed’?

That opportunity has already passed; it is too late to do anything about it now or possibly ever again.

What is the origin of the phrase ‘that ship has sailed’?

The phrase ‘that ship has sailed’ is a relatively old one likely rooted in the era of sailing ships before the widespread use of steam and diesel-powered vessels in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The literal origin relates to the nature of maritime travel. Sailing ships were limited in terms of when they could set sail and of course, how fast they could go. For an ocean voyage, the sailing ships would have had to wait until just after high tide before setting out, because that way, they would get  the benefit of riding the retreating water as the tide ebbs. Of course they would have also had to wait for the wind to be blowing in a helpful direction.

All this means that once a sailing ship has set sail, it won’t be coming back anytime soon, because the tide’s conditions wouldn’t allow it. In fact, you’d usually have to wait six hours or possibly more to ride the rising tide back in towards land. Moreover, if the winds weren’t favourable for a return journey either, then may have to wait several days.

The meaning of the phrase expanded over time to be used figuratively to mean that it’s far too late to return to the previous circumstances, and too much time has passed to be able to rectify an issue. The phrase is often used to convey finality and the acceptance of missed opportunities.

How is the phrase ‘that ship has sailed’ used today?

Today the phrase is commonly heard in everyday conversation, in public discourse, in literature and writing, and in TV and film. For example, in the book “The Language of Flowers” by Vanessa Diffenbaugh published in 2011, the protagonist uses the phrase to reflect on past decisions and opportunities that are no longer available, emphasising the theme of lost chances and moving on.

Similarly, the saying is also used “The Pursuit of Happyness” released in 2006 when the main character in the film uses the phrase to accept that a certain opportunity is no longer achievable, adding to the film’s theme of perseverance despite setbacks.

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Definition of 'yacht'

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yacht in American English

Yacht in british english, examples of 'yacht' in a sentence yacht, trends of yacht.

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