Outriggers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A framework or structure extending from a main body, often used in maritime contexts for stability and buoyancy
2. a support device added to a vehicle or equipment to increase balance and prevent tipping
3. extensions on certain canoes or boats designed to enhance stability in water by providing lateral support

Etymology: "Outriggers" is the plural of "outrigger," and the singular began as "outligger," which put "out" together with "ligger," an older word for something that lies somewhere. A ligger in the sense of a lying or resting object is the root here: the outligger was something lying out beyond the main hull. Over time, the spelling shifted to "outrigger" under the influence of "rig," meaning to fit out or equip a vessel, which suited the way these side supports are fitted onto a boat's frame. The modern sense is a pair of lateral spars or floats attached to a canoe or boat to keep it steady in the water. The arrangement is the key to the word's logic: the float sits out from the main hull, so it resists tipping. The same term later spread to other structures that project outward for support, but the boat sense remains the core meaning.

Synonyms: supports, stabilizers