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Definition of dinghy
dinghy
/ˈdɪŋ.ɡi/
ding · hy
Plural:dinghies
dinghy Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
6
Tier
2
Usage
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Wordle Guess
• noun
1
A small boat typically carried or towed by a larger vessel to serve as a tender, lifeboat, or auxiliary craft.
Example
"After dropping anchor in the deep bay, the crew used a dinghy to row ashore and gather supplies."
2
A small inflatable rubber or plastic boat, often used for recreation, short excursions, or emergencies.
Example
"The children spent the warm summer afternoon paddling their inflatable dinghy around the shallow lake."
3
A small open sailing boat used mostly for recreation or competitive racing.
Example
"She learned to sail as a teenager by racing a small dinghy at the local yacht club."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for dinghy• Rhymes for dinghy
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Word Origin & Etymology
Early 19th century: borrowed from Hindi 'ḍiṅgī' or Bengali 'ḍiṅgi', denoting a small riverine boat.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Dinghy. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 15, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/dinghy