dinghy

noun

din·​ghy ˈdiŋ-ē 

-gē

plural dinghies

1

a

: a small boat carried on or towed behind a larger boat as a tender or a lifeboat

b

: a small sailboat

2

: a rubber life raft

3

: a rowboat or sailboat used to carry passengers or cargo on the coasts of India especially in sheltered waters around the peninsula

Synonyms of dinghy

• yacht
• ship
• schooner
• sailboat
• sloop
• frigate

Examples of dinghy in a Sentence

we went sailing on the secluded lake in a little two-person dinghy

Recent Examples on the Web

On Wednesday night, a father and son were out on a dinghy off of Miami Beach when they were struck by another boat and thrown into the water. —Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2026

The father and son were on a 7-foot inflatable dinghy when they were hit, the news outlets reported. —Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2026

The preliminary investigation showed that a father and his son were aboard a 7-foot inflatable dinghy when it was struck by a boat, ejecting them into the water. —Anna McAllister, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026

Pull up the dinghy to The Ranch Escapade, where pristine white sand invites visitors to while away the day with ice-cold drinks and simple, savory Caribbean fare. —Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 3 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Bengali ḍiṅgi, Urdu ḍīngī & Hindi ḍieṁgī

First Known Use

1810, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for dinghy

• springy
• stringy

Kids Definition

dinghy

noun

din·​ghy ˈdiŋ-ē 

-gē

plural dinghies

1

: a small rowboat or sailboat

especially : one carried on a larger boat

2

: a rubber life raft