bowsprit

[ bou-sprit, boh- ]
/ ˈbaʊ sprɪt, ˈboʊ- /

noun Nautical.

a spar projecting from the upper end of the bow of a sailing vessel, for holding the tacks of various jibs or stays and often supporting a jib boom.

Origin of bowsprit

1300–50; Middle English bouspret < Middle Low German bōchspret (cognate with Dutch boegsprit) ( bōch bow3 + spret pole, cognate with Old English sprēot)

Example sentences from the Web for bowsprit

British Dictionary definitions for bowsprit

bowsprit
/ (ˈbəʊsprɪt) /

noun

nautical a spar projecting from the bow of a vessel, esp a sailing vessel, used to carry the headstay as far forward as possible

Word Origin for bowsprit

C13: from Middle Low German bōchsprēt, from bōch bow ³ + sprēt pole