noun
shanty
SHAN-tee
Shanty (noun) means a small, roughly built hut or shack, often makeshift. Example: “The fishermen kept their gear in a shanty by the harbour.”
noun
1
A small, roughly built hut or shack, often makeshift.
"The fishermen kept their gear in a shanty by the harbour."
"A chap named Eleazir Kendrick and I had chummed in together the summer afore and built a fish-weir and shanty at Setuckit Point, down Orham way. For a spell we done pretty well."
— Joseph Crosby Lincoln (1913)
2
A rhythmic work song traditionally sung by sailors to keep time while doing physical labour on a ship.
"The choir performed a set of old sea shanties."
How to use shanty
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a crude little shack, or a traditional sailors' work song — two different meanings for the same word.
Common mistake
Shanty (song) and chantey are alternate spellings of the same word — both are used.
Common pairings
sea shanty
a run-down shanty
shanty town
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Word forms
- Plural
- shanties
- Third person singular
- shanties
- Past tense
- shantied
- Comparative
- more shanty
- Superlative
- most shanty
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The fishermen kept their gear in a _____ by the harbour.
Etymology
The building sense probably comes from Canadian French chantier, "lumberjack's camp"; the sea-song sense has a separate, less certain origin, possibly related to French chanter, "to sing."
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for shanty
See all rhymes for shanty →Frequently asked questions
What does “shanty” mean?
The word “shanty” means a small, roughly built hut or shack, often makeshift. In plain terms, either a crude little shack, or a traditional sailors' work song — two different meanings for the same word.
How do you pronounce “shanty”?
“Shanty” is pronounced SHAN-tee (/ˈʃænti/ in IPA).
How do you use “shanty” in a sentence?
Here is “shanty” used in a sentence: “The fishermen kept their gear in a shanty by the harbour.”
What part of speech is “shanty”?
“Shanty” is a noun.
Where does the word “shanty” come from?
The word “shanty” comes from French. The building sense probably comes from Canadian French chantier, "lumberjack's camp"; the sea-song sense has a separate, less certain origin, possibly related to French chanter, "to sing.".
How many meanings does “shanty” have?
“Shanty” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a small, roughly built hut or shack, often makeshift.
