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Glite Dictionary
spar buoy

spar buoy

8.8
A tall floating pole in the sea that marks locations or hazards
  • noun
  • /spɑr buːi/
  • Specialized
translation icon : boya
  • Unlike can buoys, a spar buoy floats vertically in the water.

Examples

  • The lighthouse keeper checked the spar buoy every week to ensure it was properly anchored.

  • The spar buoy marked the entrance to the harbor.

  • A spar buoy is often used to mark underwater hazards near shipping lanes.

  • Look at that spar buoy floating in the water!

  • A spar buoy is often used to mark underwater hazards near shipping lanes.

  • The lighthouse keeper checked the spar buoy every week to ensure it was properly anchored.

  • Unlike can buoys, a spar buoy floats vertically in the water.

Synonyms

buoy
vsspar buoy
  • Specialized
49 6.0

A floating object anchored in water that marks safe routes and hazards

is a tall upright cylindrical version used specifically to mark locations at sea

Surface Forms

spar buoy singular
spar buoys plural

Morphology

spar + buoy

The compound is a straightforward noun+noun construction where 'spar' describes the type or shape of 'buoy' — i.e. a buoy resembling or made from a spar (a long, vertical pole). This compositional pattern is common and predictable cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to infer the meaning.

Etymology

Spar buoy comes from the words spar, a long wooden pole, and buoy, a floating marker. The literal picture is a tall pole floating upright like a vertical log, so a spar buoy is a buoy that 'marks' a place or hazard at sea.