any of various jibs or staysails set forward of the foremost mast of a vessel
2.
any sail set on a foremast, esp. on a vessel having three or more masts
Word origin
[1620–30; head + sail]This word is first recorded in the period 1620–30. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: acid, geometric, headline, hotbed, settlement
Examples of 'headsail' in a sentence
headsail
That theory would explain the torn headsail - the only damage to the catamaran.