noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
UK, US:/ˈkæbətɪd͡ʒ/
UK, US:/ˈkabətɑːʒ/
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:K AE1 B AH0 T IH0 JH
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The transport of goods or passengers between two points in the same country.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The right to engage in such transport.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: law
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
The exclusive right of a country to control such transport.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
navigation in coastal waters
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: seafaring, navigation, sailing
5
noun
Meaning 5
the exclusive right of a country to control the air traffic within its borders
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: right
History
Etymology
Borrowed from French cabotage (“coasting trade”), from caboter (“to travel by the coast”). It originally (16th c.) referred to restrictions allowing only French ships to trade or transport between French ports. Other countries adopted this concept and extended it to land and air travel.
Across languages
Translations
25 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Catalan:
cabotatge
— transport of goods or passengers in the same country
Danish:
cabotage
— transport of goods or passengers in the same country
Dutch:
cabotage
— transport of goods or passengers in the same country
Finnish:
kabotaasi
— transport of goods or passengers in the same country
Galician:
cabotaxe
— transport of goods or passengers in the same country
German:
Kabotage
— transport of goods or passengers in the same country
Greek:
ακτοπλοΐα
(aktoploḯa)
— transport of goods or passengers in the same country
Indonesian:
kabotase
— transport of goods or passengers in the same country
Italian:
cabotaggio
— transport of goods or passengers in the same country
Malay:
kabotaj
— transport of goods or passengers in the same country
Norwegian Bokmål:
kabotasje
— transport of goods or passengers in the same country
Portuguese:
cabotagem
— transport of goods or passengers in the same country
Russian:
кабота́ж
(kabotáž)
— transport of goods or passengers in the same country
Spanish:
cabotaje
— transport of goods or passengers in the same country