regatta

American  

[ri-gat-uh, -gah-tuh] / rɪˈgæt ə, -ˈgɑ tə /

noun

1. a boat race, as of rowboats, yachts, or other vessels.

2. an organized series of such races.

3. (originally) a gondola race in Venice.

4. a strong, striped cotton fabric that is of twill weave.

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regatta British  

/ rɪˈɡætə /

noun

1. an organized series of races of yachts, rowing boats, etc

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Etymology

Origin of regatta

1645–55; < Upper Italian ( Venetian ) regatta, regata, perhaps ≪ Vulgar Latin *recaptāre to contend, equivalent to *re- re- + *captāre to try to seize; see catch

Explanation

A regatta is an organized series of boat races. In a regatta, yachts or sailboats usually participate, but some regattas focus on rowboats or powerboats. In the 1650s, regatta related to a boat race among gondoliers, held on the Grand Canal in Venice. The Italian word regatta means "contention for mastery" and comes from the Latin word regattare, or "to compete, haggle, sell at retail." Regatta came to specifically mean "boat race" — and the many social events related to it — in the late 1700s.

Example Sentences

Lost Bay is a one day, single race regatta for mono-hull sailboats of at least twenty feet with both spinnaker and non-spinnaker divisions.

From Salon • Oct. 10, 2024

“On April 20th, at a youth rowing regatta, an incident occurred that is currently being investigated by West Sacramento PD,” the statement reads in part.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2024

A last-chance qualification regatta is held in France in late April.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 17, 2024

But there's no record of any feline seafarers in the gruelling regatta.

From BBC • Dec. 24, 2023

At 3:55 p.m., the regatta got started with the two-mile freshman race.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown