Advertisement - Continue reading below

Definition of "topsail" [top•sail]

  • A square sail set above the lowest sail on the mast of a square-rigged ship. (noun)
  • A triangular or square sail set above the gaff of a lower sail on a fore-and-aft-rigged ship. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "topsail" in a sentence
  • "Her main topsail blew out suddenly and went streaming forth in the gale, a jib split to ribbons before their eyes, and spar after spar was carried away."
  • "We took in topsail and staysail, dropped the main peak, and as we got abreast of the principal wharf jibed the mainsail."
  • "We took in topsail and staysail, dropped the main-peak, and as we got abreast of the principal wharf jibed the mainsail."