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Synonyms

boater

American  
[boh-ter] / ˈboʊ tər /

noun

  1. a person who boats, especially for pleasure.

  2. a stiff straw hat with a shallow, flat-topped crown, ribbon band, and straight brim.

boater British  
/ ˈbəʊtə /

noun

  1. a stiff straw hat with a straight brim and flat crown

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of boater

First recorded in 1595–1605; boat + -er 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The community was still struggling to grasp the eight boater deaths.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 24, 2025

In an early episode, the brothers came out singing the Maurice Chevalier hit “Louise” while sporting boater hats.

From New York Times • Dec. 28, 2023

He collapsed when he reached land, and was discovered by a boater the following morning.

From Washington Times • Oct. 25, 2023

The boater, 25-year-old Charles Gregory, had been missing at sea for about 35 hours in the ocean after going on an early morning fishing trip, his father told CNN.

From BBC • Aug. 6, 2023

In the summer, he wore a straw boater.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.