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Glite Dictionary
🦅 A lifting plate 🚤 A fast boat
hydrofoil

hydrofoil

1 7.2
A fast boat that rises above the water on winglike plates so it can travel faster
  • noun
  • /ˈhaɪdroʊfɔɪl/
translation icon : ferry hidroala
  • I had a special interest in the snags that arose on Fridays after 5 P.M. - the groom who, on the day of the ceremony, was trapped in a cabin east of Lake George and had to snowshoe three miles out to the nearest telephone, or the father of the bride (it was the Lapsley wedding) who wanted to arrive at the ceremony by hydrofoil.
  • hydrofoil ferry

Examples

  • The hydrofoil had been sent to Guernsey at the Royal Family's private expense to rescue the old lady, who'd had a last-minute change of heart; perhaps she'd wanted to die in England.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • This ship is the largest hydrofoil on the planet.

    Incredibles 2 (2018)

  • Out on the river, the last hydrofoil of the evening slid by like a snake of lights.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • It was a sleek hydrofoil, with the Royal Family's crest upon its bow.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • The handsome young captain of the hydrofoil waved his braided hat as he gunned the motors and pulled away from the pier; the crowd cried "hurrah" as the boat rose on its spidery legs and blasted off into the rain.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • Stanley Ho even modernized the transportation infrastructure, built piers, and operated a fleet of hydrofoils to ferry tourists from Hong Kong to Macau and back just to make it easy for visitors to come to Macau to gamble.

    Academic text (2007)

  • Every morning, the hydrofoil departs from the pier, carrying passengers across the bay quickly and efficiently.

  • The hydrofoil glided effortlessly over the waves, minimizing resistance and reaching high speeds.

  • We booked a hydrofoil to take us to the nearby island, which promised a fast and scenic journey.

Synonyms

speedboat
vshydrofoil
27 2.4

A small fast boat with a motor used for racing or quick trips

uses winglike structures to lift above water rather than just being fast
watercraft
vshydrofoil
4 3.9

A boat or ship that carries people and things on water

is a specific fast vessel that lifts above water with winglike structures
hydroplane
vshydrofoil
  • Specialized
1 8.2

A fast boat with winglike parts that lift the boat above water

is the fast boat that rises above water using winglike structures to reduce drag

How Fast

hydrofoil
1 7.2
speedboat
27 2.4
sailboat
48 1.1
rowboat
21 1.0

Surface Forms

hydrofoil singular
hydrofoils plural

Morphology

hydrofoil = foil (semi-transparent) = hydro + foil

The boat is named for the hydrofoils beneath its hull, so the form is clear but the referent is a specialized metonymic extension.

Etymology

Hydrofoil comes from hydro- 'water' and foil 'thin plate', like a wing under the boat. So a hydrofoil boat is named after those lifting plates because they raise the boat out of the water and let it go much faster.