What does ketch mean?
A ketch is a relatively small, two-masted sailing vessel with fore-and-aft sails. Its distinguishing feature is the position of the smaller mizzenmast, which is placed forward of the rudderpost; this separates a ketch from a closely related yawl. The word belongs mainly to nautical and maritime usage, appearing in descriptions of vessel types, rigging, and sailing history. Although a ketch may be called a small boat in general contexts, the term has a more specific technical meaning and should not be used as a synonym for every sailing craft. The word also appears in traditional or historical descriptions of voyages, yachts, and working vessels, giving it a somewhat old-fashioned nautical flavor. Because ketch is more specialized than general terms such as cutter or sloop, choosing it makes the kind of sailing vessel and its rig clearer.
nounA relatively small, two-masted sailing vessel rigged with fore-and-aft sails, distinguished from a yawl by having its mizzenmast forward of the rudderpost. The term is chiefly used in nautical contexts.
- A small, two-masted sailing vessel with fore-and-aft sails, the mizzenmast being forward of the rudderpost.
"They chartered a ketch and spent the afternoon sailing along the coast."
"The ketch was moored in the harbor, its sails furled against the evening breeze."
"The crew restored a wooden ketch and sailed it across the bay."
The standard plural is ketches, with the spelling changing to -es.
"Two ketches were anchored off the beach."
A ketch is a two-masted sailing vessel whose smaller mizzenmast sits forward of the rudder, giving it a distinctive rig as well as a distinctive name.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does ketch come from?
The English word ketch was borrowed from Turkish kık, meaning a small boat. The borrowing reflects the historical exchange of maritime vocabulary between Turkish-speaking communities and European seafarers. The precise route of transmission is less certain than the Turkish source, but the word has long been used in English for a particular small sailing vessel.
How ketch is actually used
Ketch is specialized nautical vocabulary rather than a general term for any boat. It may refer to a vessel class or be used in a vessel's name, such as American ketch or Baltic ketch.
Easily confused with ketch
Although the words are homophones, a ketch is a sailing vessel, whereas a catch is an everyday word for seizing something or for something caught.