Jacht
/jɑːxt/noun
An obsolete English spelling of yacht, originally referring to a fast sailing vessel.
Did you know?The word entered English from Dutch jacht, short for jachtschip—literally “hunt-ship”—because the vessel was imagined as pursuing or chasing through the sea.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*jagōn
“To hunt or pursue”
Old Dutch
Old Dutch
*jaht
“Hunt; pursuit”
Middle Dutch
Middle Dutch
jacht
“Hunt, hunting, or a swift vessel used for pursuit”
16th Century
Dutch
jacht
“Fast sailing vessel; short for jachtschip, “hunt-ship””
17th Century
English
jacht
“A fast sailing vessel, later also spelled yacht”
Modern English
English
yacht
“A recreational sailing or motor vessel; jacht survives mainly as an archaic or historical spelling”