What does careenage mean?
Careenage is a specialised nautical term referring to the practice of careening a ship — hauling or tipping a vessel over onto one side, often on a beach or slipway, so that its underwater hull could be cleaned of weed and barnacles, inspected, caulked, or repaired. In the age of sail this was essential maintenance, since fouled hulls slowed ships dramatically, and it was performed wherever a suitable shore and tide allowed rather than in a purpose-built dry dock. By extension, the word also denotes the fee charged for performing such work. Derived from the verb "careen," which ultimately traces back through French to the Latin "carina," meaning keel, careenage belongs to the vocabulary of shipwrights, harbours, and naval history. Today it survives mainly in historical writing, marine archaeology, and discussions of traditional shipbuilding, giving it an evocative, period flavour whenever it appears.
The act or process of careening a ship, i.e. tilting it on its side to clean, repair, or caulk the hull.
"Careenage was carried out on the sandy flats at spring tide, when the crew could reach the entire starboard strake."
Primarily historical or technical nautical usage.
A fee charged for careening a vessel.
"The port books record a careenage levied on every merchantman refitted there."
Rarely used in the plural, since the word typically refers to the general process or an uncountable fee.
"The ledger listed several careenages performed that season."
Before dry docks were widespread, ships had to be deliberately tipped onto their sides just to get their bottoms cleaned — and that whole operation had its own word: careenage.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of careenage
Careenage is formed from the verb "careen" plus the suffix "-age," which turns verbs into nouns denoting an action or its result. "Careen" came into English in the late 16th or early 17th century from French "caréner," ultimately derived from Latin "carina," meaning the keel of a ship. The term thus literally invokes laying a vessel over on her keel-line, and it shares that Latin root with "carina" as used in zoology and anatomy.
Related word forms
How careenage is actually used
A technical maritime term now largely confined to historical, naval, or nautical contexts; rare in everyday modern English.
Easily confused with careenage
"Careen" is the verb meaning to tilt a ship on its side (or, in modern usage, to lurch or swerve), while "careenage" is the noun denoting the act, process, or charge for doing so.