A Cuddy Is the Smallest Cabin on a Boat
A cuddy is a tiny cabin or compartment on a small boat. The word is also Scottish and northern English for a donkey.
A cuddy is a small cabin or enclosed shelter on a boat, big enough to sit in but rarely to stand. A *cuddy cabin* boat is a recognised class: a day boat with a short covered space forward, enough for shelter and storage but not a proper cabin. It is the smallest thing on a boat that can be called a cabin at all. In Scotland and northern England *cuddy* is also a familiar word for a donkey.
- A small boat cabin. *A cuddy cabin.*
- A small cupboard. *A cuddy under the stairs.*
- A donkey (Scots). *A stubborn cuddy.*
- Cabin — the larger version. *A proper cabin.*
- Cuddy cabin — a boat class. *A cuddy cabin cruiser.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | cuddy | A small cuddy. |
| Plural | cuddies | Two cuddies. |
| Compound | cuddy cabin | A cuddy cabin. |
| Scots sense | cuddy | A donkey. |
| Related | cabin | A cabin. |
- They sheltered in the cuddy during the squall.Boats.
- A cuddy cabin sleeps two at a push.Boat class.
- Cuddy also means donkey in Scots.Regional.
Small-boat spaces
- Cuddy — a short covered space, usually forward
- Cockpit — the open working area where the crew sit
- Forepeak — the narrow storage space right at the bow
- Berth — a sleeping place
- Saloon — the main cabin on a larger yacht
Of uncertain origin, recorded from the 1600s, possibly from Dutch *kajuit*, a cabin. The donkey sense is a separate Scots word, perhaps from the name Cuthbert.
What is a cuddy cabin boat?
A small day boat with a short covered space forward, giving shelter and storage but not full standing headroom.
Why does cuddy mean donkey?
That is a separate Scots and northern English word, possibly a pet form of the name Cuthbert.