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Thebowsprit of asailing vessel is aspar extending forward from the vessel'sprow. The bowsprit is typically held down by abobstay that counteracts the forces from theforestays. The bowsprit’s purpose is to create anchor points for the sails that extend beyond the vessel’s bow, increasing the size of sail that may be held taut.
The wordbowsprit is thought to originate from theMiddle Low German wordbōchsprēt –bōch meaning "bow" andsprēt meaning "pole".[1]
On somesquare-rigged ships aspritsail is flown below the bowsprit; these are sometimes accompanied by asprit topmast, which serves to assist the spritsail whiletacking. The bowsprit may also be used to hold up thefigurehead.
The dictionary definition ofbowsprit at Wiktionary