Barge
/bɑːrdʒ/noun
A large, flat-bottomed boat used for carrying goods or passengers, usually on rivers and canals.
Did you know?Barge entered English through Old French and Medieval Latin, and its deeper origin is uncertain, though some scholars connect it to a late Latin word for a small boat rather than any mystical source.
Etymological Timeline
Late Latin
LL
barca
“A boat or small vessel.”
Old French
OF
barge
“A boat, especially a small or service vessel.”
Middle English
ME
barge
“A boat or ship of a certain kind, especially a vessel for transport.”
Modern English
EN
barge
“A large flat-bottomed boat used for cargo or passenger transport.”
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