yacht word origin

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The Yacht – The Meaning and the Origin of the Word

In my language there are a few words for a floating object, or a vessel. According to the size and the purpose of the vessel, those words could be translated as “dinghy”, “yacht”, “boat” or “ship”. Some types of vessels have international names, for example “catamaran” or “hovercraft”.

What Does Yacht Mean?

However, when you say “ yacht” in my language, everyone know exactly what it is about. The word “yacht”, unlike other terms, has certain connotations. It always links with something classy, fancy, wealthy, elegant, and even glamorous.

For example, if you say that you have spent a week aboard a sailing boat , the recations of people will be more or less neutral. On the other hand, if you say that your week aboard a yacht was excellent, many people will become jealous. They will imagine you in a scene from a James Bond movie : aboard a massive white yacht in Monte Carlo , having a cold martini (shaken, not stirred)…

I wanted to share with you this language introduction because I found an interesting story about the word “yacht” and its origin. The word “yacht” became an English and an international term after an event that happened a long time ago.

How Do You Spell ‘Yacht’?

This word comes from the Dutch word “jacht”, which means “hunt”. Furthermore, “ j achtschepen” was the name for narrow, light and very fast sailing boats that the Dutchmen were using for intercepting larger and slower boats and ships.

One of the ‘hunters’ was given as a present to the British king Charles II . In His Majesty’s free time this vessel was not used for intercepting. Instead, was using it for fun. That is why the word “yacht” eventually became the term for vessels/boats made for pleasure.

I would highly appreciate comments from the native speakers of the English and Dutch languages. Especially since I am not one of them. No matter whether this story is true or not, it still sounds interesting to me.

Find out more about sailing quotes and phrases here .

I wish you a calm sea, a fine wind and a strong mast!

8 thoughts on “The Yacht – The Meaning and the Origin of the Word”

I looked up the origin of the word yacht, and it said it is a mid 16th century, Early Modern Dutch word from ‘jaght,’ from ‘jaghtschip’ meaning “fast pirate ship,” from ‘jaght’ which means “hunting” + ‘schip’ meaning “ship”.

I like the story of King Charles. It makes sense that that is why a yacht has the definite aura of wealth and pleasure!

Almost but not 100%. Actually the verb ‘jagen’ to hunt goes back to middle high German,i.e. Deutsch not Dutch, and before that it was ‘jagon’ in lower high German. But it seems that it all started with Greek and travelled North.

I guess that mid 16th century, the Dutch word jaght or jaghtschip was the word that got picked up. Not the earlier middle high German word where it came from.

Today it is jacht in Dutch, meaning hunting and it also the word for a luxury sailing boat.

In German Jagd is the word for hunt. Germans use the Dutch or English Jacht or Yacht for the boat.

Did the Germans design the original schooners? I think not! Since some Netherlanders speak a form of the Deutschland language, this word is shared (jacht/Dutch—jagd/German: meaning to hunt). It was the Dutch (Netherlanders) who designed the “flyut” or flute sailing ships, l-o-n-g before any British ever thought of such a ship—and—any German. The schooner grew out of the basic designs of the Dutch flute sailing ship (known for it’s speed). The Dutch economy relied heavily on trade and shipping, and were, thus, cutting edge innovators in ship building. Their engineering skills, was and is, plainly seen in their dike system, as well.

My father built a beautiful wooden replica of the”yacht” referred by the author (“Yacht Mary”) which was a present from the city of Amsterdam to King Charles II of England in 1660. They wrecked the ship a few years later (already too much partying on yachts, perhaps?)

I noticed the plaque that came with the model ship spelled the name as “Yatch” Mary. First, I thought, maybe, it was old English or Dutch spelling but it looks like it was just an error.

Nice, We have made an eplainermovie about this subject!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3HDZHF8w2E

In my head yogurt used to be spelled yoghurt and yacht used to be spelled yaught. Am I completely mis-remembering?

Dear Margaret, you are quite right for the spelling of the word yogurt that used to be, and sometimes still is, spelled with its old spelling yoghurt. However, there are no traces of the word yacht to have ever been spelled as yaught, but it would be best to take an etymology expert’s word for it.

Pronunciation

( UK ) enPR : yŏt , IPA ( key ) : /jɒt/
( US ) enPR : yät , IPA ( key ) : /jɑːt/ , /jɑt/

Audio ( ):

( )

Rhymes: -ɒt

yacht ( plural yachts )

1897 December (indicated as 1898 ), Winston Churchill , chapter X, in The Celebrity: An Episode , New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company ; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd. , →OCLC : The skipper Mr. Cooke had hired at Far Harbor was a God-fearing man with a luke warm interest in his new billet and employer, and had only been prevailed upon to take charge of the yacht after the offer of an emolument equal to half a year's sea pay of an ensign in the navy.
1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers , chapter VI, in The Younger Set , New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company , →OCLC : “I don’t mean all of your friends—only a small proportion—which, however, connects your circle with that deadly, idle, brainless bunch—the insolent chatterers at the opera, [ … ] , the chlorotic squatters on huge yachts , [ … ] , the neurotic victims of mental cirrhosis, the jewelled animals whose moral code is the code of the barnyard—!"

Derived terms

motor yacht , motoryacht , MY
sailing yacht , steam yacht , SY
yacht person

Translations

(yaḵt) (yaḵt) (zbosanav) (jáxta) (jáhta) (rwakhle) (tsiyu) (yóutǐng) , , , (iaxṭa) , (giot), (thalamigós) (yakhta) (yāxṭ) , (yotto) (äxta) (tuuk kɑmsaan) (yoteu) (yahta) (hư̄a bai) (jahta) (darvuult ongoc) (yât) (jáxta) , , (rʉʉa-bai), , (jáxta) ,

(jahta) , (thalamigós) (yakhta) (fune), (bōto) ,

yacht ( third-person singular simple present yachts , present participle yachting , simple past and past participle yachted )

( intransitive ) To sail , voyage , or race in a yacht .

(darvuult ongocoor javax)

Cathy , tachy , tachy- , yatch

Borrowed from English yacht , from Dutch jacht .

IPA ( key ) : /jɔt/ , /jot/ , ( Canada ) /jat/

Audio:

( )

yacht m ( plural yachts )

Norwegian Bokmål

From Dutch jacht , via English yacht .

yacht m ( definite singular yachten , indefinite plural yachter , definite plural yachtene )

“yacht” in The Bokmål Dictionary .

Norwegian Nynorsk

yacht m ( definite singular yachten , indefinite plural yachtar , definite plural yachtane )

“yacht” in The Nynorsk Dictionary .

Alternative forms

yacht c

Declension of
	Singular		Plural
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Nominative
Genitive

yacht in Svenska Akademiens ordlista ( SAOL )
yacht in Svensk ordbok ( SO )
yacht in Svenska Akademiens ordbok ( SAOB )
yacht in Svenskt nautiskt lexikon (1920)

English terms derived from Dutch
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Rhymes:English/ɒt
Rhymes:English/ɒt/1 syllable
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en:Watercraft
French terms borrowed from English
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fr:Watercraft
French loanwords with irregular pronunciations
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Rhymes:Italian/ɔt
Rhymes:Italian/ɔt/1 syllable
Italian lemmas
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Italian masculine nouns
Norman terms borrowed from English
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Jersey Norman
nrf:Watercraft
Norwegian Bokmål terms derived from Dutch
Norwegian Bokmål terms derived from English
Norwegian Bokmål lemmas
Norwegian Bokmål nouns
Norwegian Bokmål terms spelled with C
Norwegian Bokmål masculine nouns
nb:Watercraft
Norwegian Nynorsk terms derived from Dutch
Norwegian Nynorsk terms derived from English
Norwegian Nynorsk lemmas
Norwegian Nynorsk nouns
Norwegian Nynorsk terms spelled with C
Norwegian Nynorsk masculine nouns
nn:Watercraft
Swedish terms borrowed from English
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Swedish lemmas
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sv:Watercraft
English entries with topic categories using raw markup
Pages with 7 entries
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Yacht Word Origin

The word “yacht” conjures images of sleek, luxurious vessels gracefully sailing the open waters. But have you ever wondered about the origin of this nautical term? In this article, we delve into the intriguing history and etymology of the word “yacht,” tracing its roots from the Dutch language to its modern-day association with opulent recreational boating.

A Dutch Connection: The Early Origins

The word “yacht” finds its origin in the Dutch word “jacht” or “jaght,” meaning “hunt” or “chase.” In the 17th century, these vessels were primarily used by the Dutch navy for pursuing pirates and engaging in coastal defense. Originally, a yacht was a fast and nimble sailing ship with a focus on performance rather than luxury.

Evolution into Leisure Craft

Over time, yachts transitioned from their naval purpose to become vessels of leisure and pleasure. As the wealthy elite began to embrace sailing as a recreational activity, yachts became synonymous with luxurious and stylish cruising experiences. The word “yacht” gradually shifted to represent high-end vessels designed for private enjoyment rather than military pursuits.

The word “yacht” traces its origins to the Dutch language, where it originally referred to ships used for hunting and defense. With the evolution of leisure sailing, yachts transformed into symbols of luxury and indulgence, capturing the essence of elegant and extravagant sea travel. Today, these magnificent vessels continue to fascinate as they grace the world’s waters, combining a rich history with the epitome of maritime leisure.

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I am ready to help you with booking a boat for your dream vacation. Contact me.

Denisa Kliner Nguyenová

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Quick Reference

From the Dutch jacht , which comes from another Dutch word, jachten , meaning to hurry or hunt, for the Dutch were the first to use commercial vessels for pleasure. The word also applies to large powered pleasure vessels, steam or motor yachts, as well as sailing vessels deemed too big to be called a boat or a dinghy. See also yachtbuilding; yacht clubs; yacht designers; yachting.

From: yacht in The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea »

Subjects: Social sciences — Warfare and Defence

Meaning of yacht in English

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They spent their annual holiday on a chartered yacht in the Caribbean .
He spent three days adrift on his yacht.
His eyes were fixed on the distant yacht.
If they can afford a yacht, they must be rolling in it.
She sailed around the world single-handed in her yacht.
cabin cruiser
dragon boat

yacht | American Dictionary

Examples of yacht, collocations with yacht.

These are words often used in combination with yacht .

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Translations of yacht

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Did You Know ? #1 : the origins of the word "yacht"

BGYB is pleased to introduce you to the first article of our " Did you know?" serious on the origins of the word "yacht".

A Word with Multiple Meanings

The practice of yachting dates back several centuries as far back to the time of the Egyptians. It further was a worldwide phenomenon in Oriental Asia as well as in the Norwegian seas.

However, the term “yacht” finds its roots in the Dutch word “jacht”. In the sixteenth century, it was given two meanings: on the one hand, it referred to fast ships in a war fleet but, on the other han, it also referred to hunting, pursuit and speed.

With the first use of the word designated to racing vessels, the first record of a yacht regatta dates back to October 1661 under the reign of King Charles II of England. In fact, it is thanks to Great Britain that the yachting movement returned, hence the English pronunciation of the word “yacht” and its domain: yachting.

At the beginning of the 20th century, shipyards set up the first motor super yachts, starting in 1908. Today, this practice has become popular: boats have diversified in terms of aesthetics, sailor usage and technological advancements.

Sailing yachts, motor yachts, classic yachts, racing yachts, multihulls: compartmentalising an incredible diversity, the meaning of the word “yacht” has undoubtedly increased tenfold overtime.