Mizzen
//ˈmɪ.zən// adj, noun
adj, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Mizzenmast.
- 2 fore-and-aft sail set on the mizzenmast wordnet
- 3 A fore-and-aft sail set on a mizzenmast.
"Finding it was like to overblow, we took in our Sprit-ſail, and ſtood by to hand the Fore-ſail; but making foul Weather, we look'd the Guns were all faſt, and handed the Miſſen."
- 4 third mast from the bow in a vessel having three or more masts; the after and shorter mast of a yawl, ketch, or dandy wordnet
Adjective
- 1 Hindmost; nearest the stern. not-comparable
"the mizzen shrouds, sails, etc."
Example
More examples"It was a dark night, unrelieved save by the phosphor gleam of the seas around the vessel, and the light of the two lanterns hung up in the fore and mizzen rigging."
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French misaine, modified from Old French migenne (through influence from Italian mezzana), from Old Catalan mitjana, feminine of mitjan, ultimately from Latin medianus. Doublet of mean and median.
Related phrases
More for "mizzen"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.