packet boat
noun
variants
or less commonly packet ship
1
: a boat (as originally a fast sailing ship) chartered by a government to carry mail and dispatches
letters … conveyed by government packet boats or by ordinary sailing ship—
Samuel Graveson
Samuel Graveson2
a
: a river or coastal steamer usually of shallow draft carrying mail, passengers, and cargo on a regular run
took passage for Boston on the midweek packet boat—Kenneth Roberts
Kenneth Roberts
b
: a canalboat designed to carry passengers
Dictionary Entries Near packet boat
Cite this Entry
“Packet boat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/packet%20boat. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
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