bight

UK: /baɪt/ US: /baɪt/ ,(bīt)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

bight /baɪt/   n. [countable]

1. Naval Terms a loop or slack part in a rope.
2. Geography
   • a bend or curve in the shore of a sea.
   • a body of water bounded by such a bend.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

bight  (bīt), n. 

1. Naval Terms the middle part of a rope, as distinguished from the ends.
2. Naval Terms the loop or bent part of a rope, as distinguished from the ends.
3. Geography a bend or curve in the shore of a sea or river.
4. Geography a body of water bounded by such a bend.
5. Geography a bay or gulf.

v.t. 

6. to fasten with a bight of rope.

• bef. 1000; Middle English byght, Old English byht bend, bay; cognate with Dutch bocht, German Bucht; akin to bow¹

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

bight / baɪt/ noun

1. a wide indentation of a shoreline, or the body of water bounded by such a curve
2. the slack middle part of an extended rope
3. a curve or loop in a rope

Etymology: Old English byht; see bow²

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Bight noun

1. the Bight ⇒ the major indentation of the S coast of Australia, from Cape Pasley in W Australia to the Eyre Peninsula in S Australia
   In full: the Great Australian Bight