The second mast section that extends above the foremast on a large sailing ship, supporting upper sails.
Compound of 'fore' + 'topmast', developing from nautical terminology in the 16th century. The term describes the hierarchical structure of ship masts—fore, main, and mizzen—each with lower and upper sections.
Ships got taller as sail technology improved, and adding multiple mast sections like the foretopmast let sailors carry more canvas higher up where winds were stronger and more consistent, literally reaching for the sky's free energy.
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