boater
/ˈboʊ.tɚ/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.09 in modern English
8
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
1
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
Synonym of boatman, particularly its captain.
Example Sentences
- "In the summer of 1992, eight beaches were closed and swimmers were warned away because of colliform bacteria, caused by boaters emptying toilets directly into the lake or onto nearby shores. Park officials may soon supply the lake with floating waste disposal systems."
- "Technically, Melania Trump was in attendance, but she chose to make herself almost invisible. Her dark boater hat was worn so low that it threw her entire face into shadow, and made eye contact with cameras or guests impossible."
Etymology
From Middle English botere; equivalent to boat + -er. The use of the term for a straw hat stems from the fact that straw hats were the preferred head covering during sunny boat trips on canals and rivers.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: botere
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈboʊ.tɚ/
- British English: /ˈbəʊt.ə/