schooner

[ skoo-ner ]

noun

1. Nautical. any of various types of sailing vessel having a foremast and mainmast, with or without other masts, and having fore-and-aft sails on all lower masts. ketch, topsail schooner, yawl ¹( def 2 ).
2. a very tall glass, as for beer.
3. prairie schooner.

schooner

/ ˈskuːnə /

noun

1. a sailing vessel with at least two masts, with all lower sails rigged fore-and-aft, and with the main mast stepped aft
2. a large glass for sherry
3. a large glass for beer

Word History and Origins

Origin of schooner¹

1705–15, Americanism; perhaps scoon, variant of dial. scun scud ¹ (compare dialectal Swedish skunna, Old English scyndan ) + -er ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of schooner¹

C18: origin uncertain

Example Sentences

As captain and first mate, they say piloting their 75-foot schooner has only strengthened their brotherly bond, with their small expedition team serving as an adoptive family.

From BBC

Six schooners outfitted by George Washington to intercept British vessels at sea flew the flag in 1775 as they sailed under his command.

From Seattle Times

On April 15, 1848, seventy-seven enslaved people attempted to escape Washington by sailing on a schooner called The Pearl.

From Literature

The schooner Atlanta, lost in 1891 and found in Lake Superior in 2022, revived the tale of the six crew members who clung to their lifeboat, only two of whom survived after it capsized.

From New York Times

The museum’s half-acre outdoor space presents more than two dozen opportunities to play and explore, including in a vintage schooner with a rope climb and plank to walk.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• vessel
• yacht