Barque

Pronunciation

• IPA: /bɑː(r)k/
• Rhymes: -ɑː(r)k
• Homophones: bark

Origin

From Middle English barke 'boat', from Middle French barque, from Late Latin barca, from Vulgar Latin barica, from Ancient Greek βάρις (báris) 'Egyptian boat', from Coptic bari 'small boat', from Egyptian bēre. Possibly cognate with Spanish barco

Alternative forms

• bark

Full definition of barque

Noun

1. A sailing vessel of three or more masts, with all masts but the sternmost square-rigged, the sternmost being fore-and-aft-rigged
• 1873 (published 1889, 1996), William Campbell, An Account of Missionary Success in the Island of Formosa, SMC Publishing Inc., page 279On being told, however, that the Norwegian barque Daphne was about to leave An-peng for Tamsui, I had my things taken on board, and we set sail a few hours later.
2. (archaic) any small sailing vessel
3. (poetic) a sailing vessel or boat of any kind
• 1922 (first published 1923-09-07), Wallace Stevens, Fabliau of Florida, from collection :Barque of phosphor
  On the palmy beach…

Synonyms

• (small vessel): see boat