# topsail

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈtɑp.seɪl/ · frequency rank #77,286

## Definitions
1. A sail or either of the two sails rigged just above the course sail and supported by the topmast on a square-rigged sailing ship.
2. In a fore-and-aft-rigged sailing boat, the sail that is set above the gaff at the top part of the mast.

## Etymology
From Middle English topsail, topsayl, topseyle, topsaill, equivalent to top + sail.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-09-03.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/topsail