boater

noun

boat·​er ˈbō-tər How to pronounce boater (audio)
Synonyms of boaternext
1
: one who travels in a boat
2
: a stiff hat usually made of braided straw with a brim, hatband, and flat crown

Examples of boater in a Sentence

a favorite spot for pleasure boaters
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Earlier this summer, boaters spotted an island in Williston Lake, an artificial reservoir and the largest body of fresh water in British Columbia. — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 2 Sep. 2026 When a boater posted footage of the new island on social media, incredulous officials thought the video was AI-generated, according to the New York Times. — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 2 Sep. 2026 Silver carp can be startled by boat engines, launching themselves as high as 10 feet from the water and sometimes injuring boaters. — Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 27 Aug. 2026 The boater was found to be uninjured and safely brought back to shore. — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for boater

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of boater was in the 13th century

Rhymes for boater

See All Rhymes for boater

Browse Nearby Words

boatel
boater
boat fall
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Cite this Entry

“Boater.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boater. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

boater

noun
boat·​er ˈbōt-ər How to pronounce boater (audio)
1
: a person who travels in a boat
2
: a stiff straw hat

More from Merriam-Webster on boater

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for boater

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