Kahn

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of vessel that is typically flat-bottomed and used for navigation on rivers or lakes
2. A small boat or craft found commonly in regions with shallow water, often used for fishing or transport
3. A lightweight, often canoe-like craft used primarily in inland waterways for various purposes

Etymology: The word for a flat-bottomed river boat comes from Low German "kāne", meaning "small boat," which descends from a Proto-Germanic root for a vessel. Its history runs through Old Saxon and Middle Low German, and it stayed close to its maritime sense in the regions where that language was spoken. The same spelling also turns up as a surname in northern Germany, and that is where the word's other lives begin. One family of names comes from the boat word itself, while another comes from a short form of "Kahnert," a variant of "Konrad." Among Jews, the spelling was also used as a Germanicised form of "Cohen," so one written form now covers a vessel, a Germanic personal name, and a Jewish family name.

Synonyms: barge, boat