Debark

/dɪˈbɑːrk/ verb

Definition

To go ashore from a ship or to unload cargo from a ship.

Etymology

From prefix de- + bark (a ship). This comes from French débarquer, combining de- + barque (a ship). The word has been in English since the 1600s and originally meant specifically to leave a vessel.

Kelly Says

Debark has a poetic naval ring to it—soldiers 'disembark' and cargo 'debark,' but you almost never hear it in modern English outside of formal military or maritime contexts, making it feel charmingly old-fashioned.

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