Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
gaffsail

gaffsail

9.9
A four-sided sail held up by a pole along its top edge
  • noun
  • /ˈɡæfˌseɪl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : vela de gavia
  • The schooner was rigged with a large gaffsail to catch the afternoon breeze.

Examples

  • Traditional fishing boats often use a gaffsail for better maneuverability.

  • He expertly trimmed the gaffsail to maximize the yacht's speed.

  • The boat had a large gaffsail for better performance.

  • Many sailing enthusiasts prefer gaffsails for their versatility.

  • The schooner was rigged with a large gaffsail to catch the afternoon breeze.

  • He expertly trimmed the gaffsail to maximize the yacht's speed.

  • Traditional fishing boats often use a gaffsail for better maneuverability.

Synonyms

gaff-headed sail
vsgaffsail
  • Specialized
9.9

A four-sided sail set along the boat with its top held by a sloping pole

is the same but written as a single compound word

Surface Forms

gaffsail singular
gaffsails plural

Morphology

gaffsail = gaff + sail (transparent) = gaff + sail

A straightforward nautical compound: a sail that is supported by a gaff, so the meaning is directly composed from its parts.

Etymology

Gaffsail comes from the parts gaff and sail; a gaff meant a 'pole' or 'hook' on a boat used to hold the top of a sail, so a gaffsail is the kind of sail that is held up by that pole.