Meaning & use
kayak
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A small, narrow boat propelled with a double-bladed paddle, originally used by Arctic peoples.
Grammar: Countable noun: use 'a kayak' for one, 'kayaks' for more than one.
Patterns
- in a kayak
- by kayak
- paddle a kayak
We rented a kayak and explored the quiet lake.
She paddled her kayak through the narrow channel.
Kayaks are ideal for navigating shallow rivers.
verbintransitive
To travel or paddle in a kayak.
Grammar: Intransitive: you kayak somewhere, but you don't kayak something. Often used with 'down', 'along', 'across'.
Patterns
- kayak down a river
- go kayaking
- kayak across a lake
We kayaked down the river all afternoon.
They plan to kayak around the island next summer.
He enjoys kayaking on calm mornings.
Word forms
| plural | kayaks |
|---|---|
| third person singular | kayaks |
| past tense | kayaked |
| past participle | kayaked |
| -ing form | kayaking |
Common combinations
- go kayaking
- We often go kayaking on weekends.
- kayak down the river
- They kayaked down the river for three hours.
- rent a kayak
- You can rent a kayak at the boathouse.
- paddle a kayak
- She learned to paddle a kayak in one afternoon.
Synonyms and how they differ
- canoe
- A canoe is similar but is usually propelled with a single-bladed paddle and is open on top, while a kayak is typically closed and uses a double-bladed paddle.
Word family
- kayaker noun
- A person who paddles a kayak.
- kayaking noun
- The activity or sport of paddling a kayak.
Commonly confused: kayak or cayak?
kayak vs cayak
Not a common English word; likely a misspelling of 'kayak'.
Practice
Last summer, we __________ across the lake and camped on the far shore.
Choose one answer.
The past tense 'kayaked' is needed because the action happened last summer. 'Kayaking' is a present participle or gerund and would need a helping verb like 'were'. 'Kayak' is the base form and doesn't fit the past time. 'Kayaks' is third-person singular present, which is not past.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “kayak”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.