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A triangular fore-and-aft sail used especially in the Mediterranean
Answer for the clue "A triangular fore-and-aft sail used especially in the Mediterranean ", 6 letters:
lateen
Alternative clues for the word lateen
Word definitions for lateen in dictionaries
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
Word definitions in Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
mid-18c., phonetic spelling of French latine in voile latine , literally "Latin sail" (see Latin ). So called because it was used in the Mediterranean.
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
lateen \la*teen"\, a. (Naut.) Of or pertaining to a peculiar rig used in the Mediterranean and adjacent waters, esp. on the northern coast of Africa; pertaining to a lateen sail. See below. rigged with a triangular (lateen sail). Syn: lateen-rigged.
Usage examples of lateen.
The only type of sail seen on Arab ships, the lateen sail is essentially triangular, laced to a forward-leaning mast and a long yard.
Whether or not the Arabs invented it, the lateen was spread through them, both in the Indian Ocean and in the Mediterranean.
When the ship was outside the basin, on the open Adriatic, the rowers shipped their oars while the seamen stepped the two masts and unfurled their graceful lateen sails.
Only a month or so afterward, though, I saw a new galley come down the ways, not with the usual lateen sail but square-rigged in the manner of a Flemish cog, and with only a single, centered, stern-mounted steering oar.
Sophie in towards the frigate, whose crew were going back to their task of changing from a lateen to a square rig: they swarmed thick into the shrouds, looking curiously at the docile brig, which was just about to be boarded by their launch.
It was already hull-up, and even at a distance he could see that it was enormous, with three tall masts each carrying three square sails and a fourth mast with a single triangular lateen sail perched aft.
CHAPTER XIV GORE AND DREAMS It was a two-masted felucca with lateen sails!
When I looked I saw a pennant fluttering from the peak of the forward lateen yard--a red, white, and blue pen-nant, with a single great white star in a field of blue.
Embarking on a small caravel with lateen sails, they were ferried down the Narrow Sea, past Vandal Station, past Northreach, past Frostypaw and Coldfoot, and through the Channel Lock.
Nicholas peered and then he could see the ship, black against dark gray, now clearly seen for what she was, a huge thing with high aftercastle, and a rear lateen spanker sail.
The ship was a small three-masted merchantman, square-rigged with a lateen sail on the back.
He looked seaward again and saw clearly: The lateen foresail and the pennants of two vessels out there were glowing with a golden winged lion that outshone the darkness.
Temar got up from his seat beside the lateen rigged aft-mast and stretched his cramped shoulders, half inclined to shed his stout hide jerkin in the strengthening sunshine.
Blessing had got herself into the furled rigging of the lateen sail and shinnied halfway up the mast, clinging to a rope.
Barcelona with the strong wind on her larboard quarter and her big lateens bellying out and swaying wildly on the roll.