From Middle Englishmast, from Old Englishmæst(“mast”), from Proto-West Germanic*mast, from Proto-Germanic*mastaz(“mast, sail-pole”), from Proto-Indo-European*mazdos(“pole, mast”). Cognate with Dutchmast, GermanMast, and via Indo-European with Latinmālus, Russianмо́ст(móst, “bridge”), Irishadhmad.
Noun
mast (pluralmasts)
(nautical, communication, aviation) A tall, slim post or tower, usually tapering upward, used to support, for example, sails or observation platforms on a ship, the main rotor of a helicopter, flags, floodlights, meteorological instruments, or communications equipment, such as an aerial, usually supported by guy-wires (except in the case of a helicopter). [from 9th c.]
(naval) A non-judicial punishment ("NJP"); a disciplinary hearing under which a commanding officer studies and disposes of cases involving those under his command. [from 17th c.]
Hyponyms
(tall, slim post on a ship):
cage mast
foremast
lattice mast
mainmast
military mast
mizzenmast
pagoda mast
pole mast
topmast
tripod mast
Derived terms
Translations
Verb
mast (third-person singular simple presentmasts, present participlemasting, simple past and past participlemasted)
To supply and fit a mast to (a ship). [from 16th c.]
Derived terms
Translations
See also
Etymology 2
From Old Englishmæst(“fallen nuts, food for swine”) and mæstan(“to fatten”), from West Germanic; probably related to meat.
Noun
mast (countable and uncountable, pluralmasts)
The fruit of forest-trees (beech, oak, chestnut, pecan, etc.), especially if having fallen from the tree, used as fodder for pigs and other animals. [from 10th c.]
c. 1609, George Chapman, Homer, Prince of Poets [translation of Odyssey]:
She shut them straight in sties, and gave them meat: / Oak-mast, and beech, and cornel fruit, they eat,
Derived terms
Translations
Verb
mast (third-person singular simple presentmasts, present participlemasting, simple past and past participlemasted)
(of swine and other animals) To feed on forest seed or fruit.
(agriculture, forestry, ecology, of a population of plants) To produce a very large quantity of fruit or seed in certain years but not others.
Etymology 3
Clipping of Masteron.
Noun
mast (uncountable)
(bodybuilding slang) The anabolic steroid Drostanolone propionate, also known as Masteron
Etymology 4
From Frenchmasse, with -t probably after Etymology 1, above.
Noun
mast (pluralmasts)
(obsolete, billiards) A type of heavy cue, with the broad end of which one strikes the ball. [18th–19th c.]
Jan Gebauer (1903–1916) “mast”, in Slovník staročeský (in Czech), Prague: Česká grafická společnost "unie", Česká akademie císaře Františka Josefa pro vědy, slovesnost a umění
Old French
Alternative forms
maste
Etymology
Borrowed from Frankish*mast.
Noun
mastoblique singular, m (oblique pluralmazormatz, nominative singularmazormatz, nominative pluralmast)
mast(structure found on watercraft)
Descendants
Middle French: mast
French: mât
Norman: mât
→ Spanish: maste
⇒ Spanish: mástel(spelling influenced by árbol)
⇒ Spanish: mástil
→ Old Galician-Portuguese: masto, maste
Portuguese: mastro, (archaic)masto
⇒ Portuguese: mastaréu
Old Frisian
Alternative forms
mēst
Etymology
From Proto-West Germanic*maist, from Proto-Germanic*maist, *maistaz. Cognates include Old Englishmǣst and Old Saxonmēst.
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /ˈmaːst/
Adjective
māst
superlative degree of grāt
Adverb
māst
most
Descendants
Saterland Frisian: maast
West Frisian: meast
References
Bremmer, Rolf H. (2009) An Introduction to Old Frisian: History, Grammar, Reader, Glossary, Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company, →ISBN, page 28
Serbo-Croatian
Etymology
Inherited from Proto-Slavic*mastь (Russianмасть(mastʹ), Polishmaść). Compare mazati.
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /mâːst/
Noun
mȃstf (Cyrillic spellingма̑ст)
grease
ointment
fat
lard
schmaltz
Declension
References
“mast” in Hrvatski jezični portal
Swedish
Etymology
From Middle Low Germanmast, from Old Saxon*mast, from Proto-West Germanic*mast.
Noun
mastc
a mast (that carries a sail)
a mast (similar tall structure with other uses)
Declension
References
mast in Svensk ordbok (SO)
mast in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)
Anagrams
Mats, mats, samt, stam
Zazaki
Noun
mastn
yoghurt (a milk-based product thickened by a bacterium-aided curdling process)