Plural of mast; tall vertical poles or spars on ships that hold up sails.
From Old English 'mæst,' derived from Proto-Germanic *mastaz. The word has been in English since at least the 9th century when ships were central to trade and warfare. The design of masts evolved dramatically from single wooden poles to complex systems of multiple masts.
Early sailors didn't fully understand aerodynamics, but through trial and error they discovered that the angle and number of masts completely changed how ships handled wind—every shipwreck taught lessons that saved lives on future voyages.
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