embark

C1 Topic:Maritime & Sailing

US /ɪmˈbɑɹk/ UK /ɪmˈbɑːk/ See IPA manual

Freq #17425

Meanings

1

verb
To start something new and important, such as a project or journey.

She embarked on a new career as a teacher last year.
2

verb
To get on a ship, plane, or other vehicle for a journey.

The passengers embarked at noon for the crossing to France.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Multiword verbs with embark

embark on Prepositional verb C1

to begin an undertaking or course of action

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to start something new and... enter begin

2 verb · to get on a ship, plane, or... board ship

Opposites

disembark

Word family

Forms embarkedembarkingembarks

Derived forms disembarkationdisembarkeeembarkationembarkeeembarkerre-embarkreembark

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

embark on
to begin an undertaking or course of action

Verb + preposition/particle

Simplified etymology

Embark entered English in the mid-16th century and derives from bark or barque, an old-fashioned word for a boat that comes from Latin barca, meaning “ship’s boat.”

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French embarquer, from em- + barque (“small ship”). Compare with Portuguese embarcar, Spanish abarcar.

embarquer Middle French

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Maritime & Sailing Actions & Processes

External links

# embark

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ɪmˈbɑɹk/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪmˈbɑːk/
**Frequency rank:** 17425

## Meanings
1. To start something new and important, such as a project or journey.
2. To get on a ship, plane, or other vehicle for a journey.

## Examples
- She embarked on a new career as a teacher last year.
- The passengers embarked at noon for the crossing to France.

## Antonyms
- disembark

## Derived Forms
- disembarkation
- disembarkee
- embarkation
- embarkee
- embarker
- re-embark
- reembark

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: embarquer
- Affix: em- - in, into

## Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French embarquer, from em- + barque (“small ship”). Compare with Portuguese embarcar, Spanish abarcar.

## AI Etymology
Embark is borrowed from Middle French embarquer, from em- + barque (“small ship”). Compare with Portuguese embarcar, Spanish abarcar. In present-day use, it can mean to start something new and important, such as a project or journey, or to get on a ship, plane, or other vehicle for a journey. Derived formations include disembarkation, disembarkee, embarkation, embarkee, and embarker.

## Topics
- Maritime & Sailing
- Actions & Processes

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