PINNACE

tender, ship's boat, pinnace, cutter

(noun) a boat for communication between ship and shore

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

pinnace (plural pinnaces)

(nautical) A light boat, traditionally propelled by sails, but sometimes a rowboat. Pinnaces are usually messenger boats, carrying messages among the larger ships of a fleet.

Source: Wiktionary

Pin"nace, n. Etym: [F. pinasse; cf. It. pinassa, pinazza, Sp. pinaza; all from L. pinus a pine tree, anything made of pine, e.g., a ship. Cf. Pine a tree.]

1. (Naut.) (a) A small vessel propelled by sails or oars, formerly employed as a tender, or for coast defence; -- called originally, spynace or spyne. (b) A man-of-war's boat. Whilst our pinnace anchors in the Downs. Shak.

2. A procuress; a pimp. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition