yacht (yät)n. Any of various relatively small, streamlined sailing or motor-driven vessels used for pleasure cruises or racing.intr.v. yacht·ed, yacht·ing, yachts To sail, cruise, or race in a yacht.[Probably obsolete Norwegian jagt, from Middle Low German jacht, short for jachtschip : jagen, to chase (from Old High German jag?n) + schip, ship.]American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.yacht (j?t) n1. (Nautical Terms) a vessel propelled by sail or power, used esp for pleasure cruising, racing, etc2. (Nautical Terms) short for sand yacht, ice yachtvb (Nautical Terms) (intr) to sail or cruise in a yacht[C16: from obsolete Dutch jaghte, short for jahtschip, from jagen to chase + schip ship]Collins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014yacht (y?t) n. 1. a vessel used for private cruising, racing, or other noncommercial purposes. v.i. 2. to sail or voyage in a yacht. [1550?60;