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Glite Dictionary
hermaphrodite brig

hermaphrodite brig

9.9
A two-masted sailing ship with square sails on the front mast and long sails along the main mast
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : bric hermafrodita
  • The hermaphrodite brig about to become their home had once been part of Zeke's family's packet line; with his father's money, Zeke had ordered oak sheathing spiked to her sides.

Examples

  • Historically, the hermaphrodite brig was favored by traders for its agility and ability to navigate different wind conditions.

  • The captain explained that the hermaphrodite brig combines the strengths of both fore-and-aft and square rigging for versatility at sea.

  • The hermaphrodite brig sails smoothly across the ocean, showcasing its unique rigging of both square sails and traditional sails.

Synonyms

brigantine
vshermaphrodite brig
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A sailing ship with two masts, square sails on the front mast and long sails on the main mast

is the same meaning but uses a different name

Surface Forms

hermaphrodite brig singular
hermaphrodite brigs plural

Morphology

hermaphrodite + brig

The adjective 'hermaphrodite' conveys a hybrid or 'both types' notion and 'brig' denotes a two-masted vessel, so a learner who knows both words can infer that this is a vessel with mixed rigging. However, the precise technical configuration (which mast carries square versus fore-and-aft sails) is specialised nautical knowledge and not fully predictable from the constituents alone.

Etymology

Hermaphrodite brig comes from the ship's mixed rig: brig is a two-masted ship, and hermaphrodite was used because it had two different kinds of sails—square sails on the front mast and fore-and-aft sails on the main mast. That's why the name means a ship that mixes both sail styles.