ba·teau also bat·teau 
(bă-tō)
(bă-tō)n. pl. ba·teaux also bat·teaux (-tōz)
1. Canada & New England A long, light, flatbottom boat with a sharply pointed bow and stern.
2. South Atlantic & Gulf States A small, light, flatbottom rowboat.
[Canadian and Louisiana French, from French, boat, from Old French batel, from Old English bāt; see bheid- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]