coracle

[ kawr-uh-kuhl, kor- ]

noun

1. a small, round, or very broad boat made of wickerwork or interwoven laths covered with a waterproof layer of animal skin, canvas, tarred or oiled cloth, or the like: used in Wales, Ireland, and parts of western England.

coracle

/ ˈkɒrəkəl /

noun

1. a small roundish boat made of waterproofed hides stretched over a wicker frame

Word History and Origins

Origin of coracle¹

1540–50; < Welsh corwgl, corwg; akin to Irish curach boat; currach

Word History and Origins

Origin of coracle¹

C16: from Welsh corwgl; related to Irish curach boat

Example Sentences

On the beach, men and women talked in the lilting tones of spoken Vietnamese while repairing circular coracles, the basket-like boats that have been used here for centuries.

From New York Times

He writes: “On these magic shores children at play are for ever beaching their coracles. We too have been there; we can still hear the sound of the surf, though we shall land no more.”

From The Guardian

The experience was so fulfilling I made a second trip the following winter, travellingthrough Wales in a coracle.

From The Guardian

Their boats were coracles woven of reed, and it was a brave sailor who would go as far as Gosk or Kornay in such a craft.

From Literature

The last coracle shed in England, where the circular boats were made for use along the River Severn, is to be restored and opened to the public.

From BBC

Related Words

• kayak
• outrigger