mizzen

The name of the third, aftermost, mast of a square-rigged sailing ship or of a three-masted schooner, or the small after mast of a ketch or a yawl (but see also jigger-mast). The word probably came into the English language either from the Italian mezzana or the French misaine, which are, in fact, the names in those languages for the foremast, but for some reason its position in the ship was changed round when the word was adopted in Britain. The word also possibly came from the Arabic misn meaning mast, and was associated with the lateen sail, also of Arabic origin.

See also artemon.

See also artemon.