Definition of schooner

The word "schooner" has its origins in the Dutch word "schoon," meaning "beautiful" or "clean." In the early 18th century, the Dutch merchants who sailed in the area around New York City used ships called schooners to transport goods. These vessels had two or more masts with sails bent diagonally to the masts, which allowed for quicker and more efficient sailing than traditional square-rigged ships. The English adopted the word "schooner" to describe these schooners in the late 1700s, and the term has been used ever since to describe a type of sailing vessel with two or more masts and diagonal sails. Today, schooners continue to be popular for recreational sailing and are often restored as historic landmarks of maritime heritage.