What does catamaran mean?
A catamaran is a watercraft whose hull consists of two parallel floats, or amas, connected by a deck or crossbeams. This twin-hull design gives the boat exceptional stability and allows it to sail faster than most single-hulled vessels, since the narrow hulls create less drag and the wide stance resists heeling under sail. The word entered English in the early seventeenth century from Tamil kattumaram, literally meaning "tied wood," which referred to the simple log rafts used by fishermen on the coasts of southern India and Sri Lanka. Over time the term shifted to describe the modern twin-hulled sailboats and powerboats we know today. Catamarans now range from small recreational dinghies to luxury cruising yachts and high-speed passenger ferries, where their speed and stability make them especially popular. The related term trimaran describes a similar craft built on three hulls rather than two.
A boat or vessel with two parallel hulls joined by a common deck or framework.
"The racing catamaran lifted one hull clear of the water as it surged downwind."
Also applied historically to log-raft floats in South Asia.
A raft of logs lashed together, used especially in South Asia.
"Fishermen paddled their catamarans through the breaking waves to reach the fishing grounds."
Regular plural; used when referring to multiple vessels of this type.
"Dozens of catamarans lined the harbor ahead of the regatta."
"Catamaran" comes straight from Tamil — it originally meant "tied wood," a simple log raft lashed together, before evolving into the high-speed racing boats of today.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of catamaran
Catamaran comes from Tamil kattumaram, formed from kattu ("to tie") and maram ("wood" or "tree"), describing rafts made of logs lashed together. English sailors and traders encountered the word on the coasts of India in the early seventeenth century and adopted it into English around that period. As European shipbuilders developed twin-hulled sailing craft centuries later, they borrowed this existing word for the new design, shifting its meaning from log raft to modern multihull vessel.
How catamaran is actually used
Neutral register. The word applies both to small beach-launched sailing cats and to large commercial ferries; the older 'log raft' sense is now largely historical or South Asian in use.
Easily confused with catamaran
A catamaran has two parallel hulls, while a trimaran has three.