johnboat

or john boat, jon·boat, jon boat

[ jon-boht ]

noun

1. a light, square-ended, flat-bottomed skiff, used in shallow water.

Word History and Origins

Origin of johnboat¹

1900–05, Americanism; probably John (the given name) + boat; compare joeboat, name for the same type of craft

Example Sentences

One man offered his small johnboat.

From Washington Post

For back-to-back nights, the trio quietly took the johnboat into Lake Zasada and tried to sneak up on the loon.

From Washington Post

The other was a smaller johnboat.

From Washington Times

Angela Goldman says life jackets were in the flat-bottomed johnboat seven people were aboard, but authorities believe none of them were wearing the floatation devices when it capsized Monday night on the White River.

From Washington Times

He nosed his johnboat through Ivanhoe’s currents toward his family’s flooded trailer home.

From New York Times