Schooner

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /skuːnə(ɹ)/

Definitions

1. A sailing ship with two or more masts, typically rigged fore-and-aft ; a large glass used mainly for serving beer or other beverages
2. A sailing craft characterized by multiple masts and fore-and-aft sails ; a sizable drinking glass commonly used in pubs for beer
3. A type of ship with at least two masts designed for sailing ; a tall glass vessel designed to hold beer or similar drinks

Etymology: The most famous story attached to this word is probably the one about its first ship, but the record here is thinner than that. The word first appears in writing around 1715, and its origin is genuinely uncertain. One proposal links it to a dialect verb "scoon," meaning to skim over water, which would fit a vessel that glides across the surface rather than plunging through it. That explanation is plausible but unproven. Another possibility is a loose connection to "shunt," a verb meaning to move something suddenly or to push it aside, which suggests quick, nimble handling, though this is only a comparison rather than a established link. The drinking-glass sense is a separate matter. Its shape, tall and narrow, is what the name is usually taken to describe, and the two senses share a form without a confirmed shared history.

Synonyms: boat, vessel, craft, ship, yacht