Definition

Noun: 1. A large sailing ship, especially a merchant ship of the late 19th and early 20th centuries: The term "windjammer" specifically refers to a large commercial sailing vessel, typically with multiple masts and square rigging, used primarily for carrying cargo across oceans. These ships were known for their size and ability to harness the wind.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The museum featured a model of a famous windjammer that once carried tea from China.
  • Before the age of steam, windjammers were the giants of international trade.
  • We watched the tall ship festival, which included several restored windjammers.

Advanced Usage

• The term "windjammer" can sometimes carry a nostalgic or romantic connotation, referring to the final era of large commercial sailing ships before they were largely replaced by steamships.
  • His grandfather told stories of his youth aboard a windjammer crossing the Atlantic.

Variants and Related Words

• Windjammer is a compound word formed from "wind" and "jammer." It is a fixed term and does not have standard grammatical variants (e.g., "windjamming" is not a standard derivative of this specific noun).
• Tall ship: A modern, general term for large traditional sailing vessels, often used for training or as museum ships, which includes ships like windjammers.

Synonyms

• Sailing ship: A general term for any large vessel propelled primarily by sails.
• Merchant ship: A ship used for transporting cargo.
• Square-rigger: A sailing ship with square sails, which describes the rigging of many windjammers.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• "The last of the windjammers": A phrase used to describe the final surviving ships or the end of an era of commercial sail.
  • The documentary was about the last of the windjammers making their final voyages.

Noun

1. a large sailing ship