xebec

[ zee-bek ]

noun

1. a small, three-masted vessel of the Mediterranean, formerly much used by corsairs, now employed to some extent in commerce.

xebec

/ ˈziːbɛk /

noun

1. a small three-masted Mediterranean vessel with both square and lateen sails, formerly used by Algerian pirates and later used for commerce

Word History and Origins

Origin of xebec¹

1750–60; alteration of earlier chebec < French < Catalan xabec or Spanish xabeque (now jabeque ), both < Arabic shabbāk

Word History and Origins

Origin of xebec¹

C18: earlier chebec from French, ultimately from Arabic shabbāk; present spelling influenced by Catalan xabec, Spanish xabeque (now jabeque )

Example Sentences

In Charleston, S.C., where the ports have been expanding to accommodate larger ships sailing through the newly widened Panama Canal, a real-estate developer named Xebec Realty recently went looking for land to build new warehouses and logistics centers.

From New York Times

So Xebec turned to a Silicon Valley start-up called Jupiter, which offered to analyze local weather and hydrological data and combine it with climate model projections to assess the potential climate risks Xebec might face in Charleston over the next few decades from things like heavier rainfall, sea level rise or increased storm surge.

From New York Times

Although Jupiter’s forecasting skill remains unproven, Xebec was eager to participate in a pilot project.

From New York Times

“If we could have reliable predictive analytics in this area, that’s a huge impact for our business,” said Scott Hodgkins, an executive vice president at Xebec.

From New York Times

But first, Xebec had a question: What were the odds that the sites it was considering might be underwater in 10 or 20 years?

From New York Times