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mast¹

(măst)

1. Nautical

a. A vertical structure consisting of a spar or several spars affixed end-to-end, rising from the keel or deck of a sailing vessel to support the sails.

b. A single spar serving as a part of such a structure: the fore topgallant mast.

a. A vertical pole.

b. A tall vertical antenna, as for a radio.

3. A captain's mast.

[Middle English, from Old English mæst.]

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mast¹

sailing vessel with three masts

mast²

(măst)

The nuts of forest trees accumulated on the ground, especially considered as a food source for wildlife or for domestic swine.

[Middle English, from Old English mæst.]

mast-

pref.

Variant of masto-.

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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