1. boat, ship (french). bateauba*teau , n.; pl. bateaux . [f. bateau, ll. batellus, fr. battus, batus, boa, which agrees with as. bāt boat: cf. w. bad boat. see: boat, n.] a boat; esp. a flat-bottomed, clumsy boat used on the canadian lakes and rivers. [written also, but less properly, batteau.]bateau bridge, a floating bridge supported by bateaux