# bowsprit

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈbəʊspɹɪt/

## Definitions
1. A spar projecting over the prow of a sailing vessel to provide the means of adding sail surface.

## Etymology
First attested in late 13th century. Probably borrowed from Middle Low German bochspret, from boch (“bow of a ship”) + spret (“pole”) (related to Old English spreot and English sprout).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/bowsprit