Mast is a noun with a few different meanings. It can mean a tall upright polea long, straight piece of wood or metal, usually standing upright, the vertical pole on a ship for supporting sailslarge pieces of cloth that catch wind to move a boat, or the fallen nuts of forest trees. In farming, it can also mean those nuts used as food for pigsfarm animals raised for meat, often fed grain or nuts.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-03. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /mæst/
Easy pronunciation: MAST (approximate spelling).
Stress: One syllable; stress is on the whole word.
Boat/ship sense: a vertical spar that supports sails.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-11-03. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Mast Meaning
the tall pole on a ship that supports sails
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a vertical spar for supporting sails
Example: The crew climbed the mast to check the sail rigging.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-03. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Mast
Meaning 2
a strong upright pole
Part of speech: noun
Definition: any sturdy upright pole
Example: The flag flew from a tall mast in the square.
Meaning 3
fallen nuts from forest trees on the ground
Part of speech: noun
Definition: nuts of forest trees (as beechnuts and acorns) accumulated on the ground
Example: The forest floor was covered with mast after the autumn winds.
Meaning 4
forest nuts used to feed pigs
Part of speech: noun
Definition: nuts of forest trees used as feed for swine
Example: The farmer turned the pigs out to feed on mast in the woods.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-03. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Mast Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- pole
- post
- spar
a vertical spar for supporting sails
- spar
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-11-03. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not confuse mast with "must".
- Do not confuse the ship's mast with a flagpole, which is a different but related object.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-11-03. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does mast mean in English?
Mast can mean a tall upright pole, especially the pole on a ship that supports sails. It can also mean fallen forest nuts, or those nuts used as pig feed.
What are the synonyms of mast?
For the ship meaning, spar is the closest synonym, though it is more specific. For the general pole meaning, pole and post can work in some contexts. The forest-nut meanings do not have many direct synonyms.
Is mast a noun?
Yes. Mast is used as a noun in all of its main meanings.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-03. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
