nun buoy

[ nuhn ]

noun

1. a conical, unlighted buoy used as a channel marker, especially on the starboard side of a channel entering from seaward.

nun buoy

/ nʌn /

noun

1. nautical a buoy, conical at the top, marking the right side of a channel leading into a harbour: green in British waters but red in US waters Compare can buoy

Word History and Origins

Origin of nun buoy¹

1695–1705; obsolete nun spinning top + buoy

Word History and Origins

Origin of nun buoy¹

C18: from obsolete nun a child's spinning top + buoy

Example Sentences

I verily believe I could hit a nun buoy if it was anchored in any part of the ocean.

From Project Gutenberg

The boat shaved a nun-buoy outside Barmouth Point so closely that Staff could almost have touched it by stretching out his arm.

From Project Gutenberg