lateen

[ la-teen, luh- ]

adjective

1. relating to, being, or having a triangular sail or sails on a long yard that is attached to the mast at an angle:

   The navy vessels were unable to follow the highly maneuverable pirate ships with their lateen rigging.

lateen

/ ləˈtiːn /

adjective

1. nautical denoting a rig with a triangular sail ( lateen sail ) bent to a yard hoisted to the head of a low mast, used esp in the Mediterranean

Word History and Origins

Origin of lateen¹

First recorded in 1720–30; from French (voile) latine “Latin (sail)”

Word History and Origins

Origin of lateen¹

C18: from French voile latine Latin sail

Example Sentences

When she and Robert stepped into Tonie’s boat, with the red lateen sail, misty spirit forms were prowling in the shadows and among the reeds, and upon the water were phantom ships, speeding to cover.

From Literature

Crew members from the USS Normandy seized a huge cache of weapons from a dhow – a small vessel with lateen sails – on Sunday while conducting maritime security operations in the U.S.

From Fox News

Unlike the lumbering tall ships of the 1800s, the Iskatel runs on a combination of two outboard engines and four lateen sails.

From Seattle Times

By the Late Roman Period advances in sailing technology, such as lateen sails that ran from fore to aft, reduced crews to as few as five to seven people.

From National Geographic

Afterward he helped Duck to raise the Shy Maid's big lateen sail.

From Literature