1. of or relating to a triangular sail suspended from a long diagonal spar
Usage: nautical

1. a triangular sail suspended from a long diagonal spar attached to a short mast, used especially in the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean regions
Usage: nautical

Examples

• The dhow was equipped with a lateen sail that caught the monsoon winds.
• Medieval Mediterranean traders relied on lateen rigging for their vessels.
• The lateen design allowed ships to sail closer to the wind than square sails.
• A lateen sail is triangular in shape and hangs from a diagonal spar.
• The ship's lateen configuration made it highly maneuverable in coastal waters.