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spin·na·ker

(spĭnə-kər)

A large triangular headsail secured only at the corners, used on sailboats when running before the wind.

[Perhaps ultimately from Sphinx, name of the first yacht to use such a sail, or spin, to move rapidly (variant of Scots spene, to run before the wind; see SPINDRIFT).]

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spinnaker

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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