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kay·ak

(kīăk′)

A very light, slender, usually covered boat that has pointed ends and is propelled by a double-bladed paddle. Traditional Yupik and Inuit kayaks are made of skins stretched over a frame of wood or whalebone.

v. kay·aked, kay·ak·ing, kay·aks

v.intr.

To go, travel, or race in a kayak.

v.tr.

To go or travel on (a body of water) by kayak: kayaked rapids of the Colorado River.

[Inuit and Yupik qajaq.]

kayak′er n.

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kayak

whitewater kayak

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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