foremast

noun

fore·​mast ˈfȯr-ˌmast How to pronounce foremast (audio)
-məst
: the mast nearest the bow of a ship

Examples of foremast in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The foremast is on display at the Rogers Street Fishing Village in Two Rivers. Hannah Hernandez, Journal Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2023 Frantic efforts to lighten the Philadelphia—cannons were thrown overboard; the foremast was chopped down—proved futile, as did other efforts to dislodge the ship. Mark G. Spencer, WSJ, 31 Jan. 2023 Originally constructed in 1909, the 155-and-a-half-foot brigantine yacht was composed of sturdy oak and Oregon pine with a 122-foot foremast and nearly 13,000 feet of layered sails. Kimberly Bowker, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Mar. 2022 For instance, Luebke adds, the President's flag has historically flown at the mainmast while a different flag for the Vice President is flown at the slightly shorter foremast. Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 13 Oct. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'foremast.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of foremast was in 1582

Dictionary Entries Near foremast

Cite this Entry

“Foremast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foremast. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

foremast

noun
fore·​mast -ˌmast How to pronounce foremast (audio)
-məst
: the mast nearest the bow of a ship

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