Narrowboat
/ˈnærəʊbəʊt/noun
A long, slender canal boat designed to fit the narrow locks and waterways of Britain.
Did you know?Modern narrowboats descend from the cargo boats of Britain’s canal age, whose unusually slim dimensions were determined by the size of existing locks rather than nautical tradition.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ner-
“Constricted or tightly compressed; the ancient root behind “narrow.””
Old English
Old English
nearu
“Narrow, confined, or difficult to pass through.”
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*baitą
“A boat or vessel; traditionally connected with a root involving splitting or cutting through water.”
Old English
Old English
bāt
“A boat or ship used for travel on water.”
19th Century
English
narrow boat
“A narrow canal vessel developed for transporting cargo through Britain’s inland waterways.”
Modern English
English
narrowboat
“A long, slender recreational or residential canal boat built to fit Britain’s narrow locks.”