noun
junk
A traditional Chinese sailing vessel with sails stiffened by battens.
A Chinese junk crosses the harbor with its battened sails raised.
Etymology
The Javanese word names a large ship. European languages adopted it and applied the resulting junk especially to the traditional sailing vessels of East Asia.
More examples
- The museum displays a wooden model of a Chinese junk.
- Several junks lie at anchor near the fishing village.
- Horizontal battens stiffen the sails of the junk.
Forms
junk · junks
Similar words
- sailboat
- A general term for sailing craft, not specifically Chinese vessels.
- ship
- A broader term for large vessels, including those without sails.