Rya

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A specific type of traditional Scandinavian knot used in fishing and textile applications
2. An old name for a kind of small, fast sailing boat commonly found in northern waters
3. A term that also refers to a dry or sandy area in certain coastal regions

Etymology: In Swedish, "rya" means a thick cloth, and it is the source of the English word. The Swedish term names a heavy, shaggy textile, traditionally a knotted wool weave with a long, deep pile, long associated with Scandinavian rugs and bedcovers. English borrowed the Swedish word as its name for the boat, and the textile sense is the one from which it comes.

Synonyms: rya rug, Scandinavian wool rug