Noun

1. A sailing vessel of three or more masts, with all masts but the sternmost square-rigged, the sternmost being fore-and-aft-rigged
   • 1873 (published 1889, 1996), William Campbell, An Account of Missionary Success in the Island of Formosa, SMC Publishing Inc., page 279

     On being told, however, that the Norwegian barque Daphne was about to leave An-peng for Tamsui, I had my things taken on board, and we set sail a few hours later.

2. any small sailing vessel
3. a sailing vessel or boat of any kind
   • 1922 (first published 1923-09-07), Wallace Stevens, Fabliau of Florida, from collection Harmonium

     Barque of phosphor / On the palmy beach...

Alternative spellings

• bark (only as sailing vessel, all masts but sternmost square-rigged)