What does "catamaran" mean?
A twin-hulled ship or boat.
Catamaran
/ˈkæ.tə.məˌɹæn/ noun, slang
noun, slang ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A twin-hulled ship or boat.
- Grammar: catamaran is listed as noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: boat, canoe, cruiser, design variants.
- Useful contrasts: monohull, monohull designs.
- Usage evidence: Once capsized, a catamaran is impossible to right without help.
How to use "catamaran"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "catamaran" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "catamaran" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "catamaran" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "catamaran" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "catamaran" is acting as noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "boat" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "catamaran", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A twin-hulled ship or boat.
"Swift over the seas the vessel drives; Madras appears in sight. The first object catching the eye, upon the anchor being cast, was an Indian upon his catamaran, who, making a sudden motion, sprung to the side of the ship, grappled there for a moment, and the next was on the deck."
- 2 a boat with two parallel hulls held together by single deck wordnet
- 3 A quarrelsome woman; a scold. colloquial, obsolete, rare
"She meddles with my prescriptions for your wife; she doctors the infant in private: you'll never have a quiet house or a quiet wife as long as that old Catamaran is here."
- 4 A raft of three pieces of wood lashed together, the middle piece being longer than the others, and serving as a keel on which the rower squats while paddling. obsolete
"Three or four strange-looking things now came close to our boat, which I understood were called ‘catamarans’, consisting of nothing more than two or three large trees, the trunk part only strongly lashed together, upon which sat two men nearly in a state of nature […] ."
- 5 An old kind of fireship. obsolete
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
monohullmonohull designs
Example
"Once capsized, a catamaran is impossible to right without help."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "catamaran"?
Common synonyms include: boat, canoe, cruiser, design variants, double-hulled boat, ferry.
How do you use "catamaran" in a sentence?
Once capsized, a catamaran is impossible to right without help.
How do you pronounce "catamaran"?
Pronounced /ˈkæ.tə.məˌɹæn/.
Etymology
From Tamil கட்டுமரம் (kaṭṭumaram), from கட்டு (kaṭṭu, “to tie”) + மரம் (maram, “tree, wood”).