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Today it means

cruise

to sail or travel for pleasure, or a voyage taken for leisure

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Where does the word "cruise" come from? It comes from Dutch kruisen, and was adopted directly into English (1600s-1700s).

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Where does the word "cruise" come from? It comes from Dutch kruisen, and was adopted directly into English (1600s-1700s).

Cruise’s story begins in Dutch: kruisen meant “to cross, sail back and forth.” Meaning "to cross" or "sail to and fro". It reached English by 1600s-1700s as cruise. Dutch 'kruisen', to cross, for ships zigzagging while on patrol; pleasure cruises date from the 1800s. Today, cruise means to sail or travel for pleasure, or a voyage taken for leisure.

  1. Stage 1 · Dutch · medieval kruisen "to cross, sail back and forth", meaning "to cross" or "sail to and fro".
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1600s-1700s cruise "to sail for pleasure or patrol", Dutch 'kruisen', to cross, for ships zigzagging while on patrol; pleasure cruises date from the 1800s.

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