caïque

noun

ca·​ïque kä-ˈēk How to pronounce caïque (audio)
ˈkīk
Synonyms of caïquenext
1
: a light skiff used on the Bosporus
2
: a Levantine sailing vessel

Examples of caïque in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Take shade beneath tamarisk trees on the sandy beach and watch fishing caiques rhythmically bob on the water. — Helen Iatrou, Travel + Leisure, 11 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, from Turkish kayık

First Known Use

1625, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of caïque was in 1625

Browse Nearby Words

Caipotorade
caïque
caiquejee
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Caïque.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ca%C3%AFque. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

caïque

noun
ca·​ïque kä-ˈēk How to pronounce caïque (audio)
1
: a light rowboat used on the Bosporus
2
: a Greek sailing vessel usually equipped with an engine
Etymology

from Turkish kayik "rowboat"

More from Merriam-Webster on caïque

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for caïque

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All