What does motorboat mean?
A motorboat is a boat propelled by an engine, such as an internal-combustion or electric motor. The term is most often used for small recreational, fishing, or work boats, but it can apply to larger powered vessels as well. Its basic meaning concerns how the boat moves rather than how fast it travels: a harbor ferry and a fast racing craft can both be described as motorboats. In everyday use, the word is neutral and practical, though motorboats are often associated with leisure, holidays, and coastal travel. It can also distinguish powered craft from boats moved by sails, oars, or other means. Motorboat is commonly used in British and American English and appears in expressions such as motorboat race, motorboat licence, and ride a motorboat. The related activity is called motorboating.
nounA small boat propelled by an engine, typically an internal-combustion or electric motor. The term emphasizes the boat's means of propulsion rather than its size or speed.
- A boat propelled by an engine, especially a relatively small craft used for recreation, transport, or work.
"We rented a motorboat and explored the coves around the island."
"The motorboat cut across the lake as the sun began to set."
"The harbor master inspected the motorboat before approving it for passenger service."
The standard plural is motorboats, used for multiple motorboats or for a count of motorboats.
"Several motorboats were moored beside the pier."
A motorboat is defined by propulsion, not speed: a slow harbor craft and a racing craft can both be motorboats.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does motorboat come from?
The word combines motor and boat. Motor comes through English from Latin motor, meaning “mover” or “one who moves,” a form related to mover and motion. Boat is an English word inherited from Old English bāt, referring to a small open vessel. The compound became established as the straightforward English name for an engine-powered boat.
Related word forms
How motorboat is actually used
The word is common in British and American English. It is a general, neutral term, while speedboat and racing powerboat carry stronger associations with speed or competition. In British English, a motorboat may also be called a motor launch, though launch can refer to the act of launching a boat as well.
Easily confused with motorboat
A motorboat is defined by having an engine, whereas a speedboat is defined by being designed or used for high speed.
A launch is a type of small, usually powered boat, while motorboat is a broader term for any engine-propelled boat.