windjammer
Meaning
a large merchant sailing ship, especially one with multiple masts, used in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
a person who talks at length, especially in a boastful or misleading way.
Structure
Usage
the windjammer sailed gracefully into the harbor, its sails billowing in the breeze.
he's a bit of a windjammer, always telling exaggerated stories about his adventures.
tourists enjoyed a sunset cruise aboard a restored windjammer.
Etymology
The word 'windjammer' is a compound formed from two English elements. Literally, it denotes something or someone that 'jams' or contends with the wind. Its primary nautical sense, referring to a large sailing ship, emerged in the late 19th century, humorously suggesting these vessels were so large they could 'jam' or block the wind. The secondary, colloquial sense for a long-winded, boastful talker developed through metaphorical extension, likening such a person's relentless speech to a ship dominating the wind.
Analysis
wind (old english; the natural movement of air), jam (of uncertain origin, perhaps imitative; to press or squeeze tightly), er (old english; agent noun suffix, indicating a person or thing that performs an action).