Boat/bəʊt/ Definition 1 of 5Pro Tip 1/3Water Transport Refers to any size watercraft, from small rowboats to large ships. My grandfather built a wooden boat by hand. Pro Tip 2/3Leisure or Work Boats can be for relaxation, like sailing, or for work, such as fishing. They rented a boat for a leisurely sail around the island. Pro Tip 3/3Type Variations Different boats are named for their use or shape, like 'canoe,' 'kayak,' 'dinghy'. We took a canoe out to explore the narrow channels.