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Glite Dictionary
shipmast

shipmast

3.6
A tall pole on a ship that holds the sails and ropes
  • noun
  • /ˈʃɪpˌmæst/
translation icon : mást
  • The sailor climbed to the top of the shipmast to adjust the sails.

Examples

  • During the storm, the crew secured the sails to prevent damage to the shipmast.

  • One hand reaches out and grips a rope hanging from a shipmast.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • He looks up and sees Lestat way above him, dangling from the rope of the shipmast.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • The ship's shipmast was tall and sturdy, allowing it to catch the wind effectively.

Synonyms

mast
vsshipmast
49 4.2

A tall pole that holds sails, flags, or antennas

is limited to use on vessels rather than for flags or antennas
spar
vsshipmast
  • Specialized
3 8.6

A strong pole on a ship that supports sails

is specifically tall and vertical rather than any orientation

Surface Forms

shipmast singular
shipmasts plural

Morphology

shipmast = ship + mast (transparent) = ship + mast

The meaning is directly compositional: a mast belonging to or on a ship.

Etymology

Shipmast comes from the two simple parts ship ('sea vessel') and mast ('tall pole that holds the sails'), so it literally names the tall vertical pole on a ship that supports the sails and rigging.