On a sailing vessel having more than three mast, the mizzen mast is the third mast immediately aft of the main mast. It is a shorter mast than the foremast. It is often located over the stern of the boat or ship.
Correction to the above: a "Yawl" or a "Ketch" has two masts -a mainmast and a mizzen, with the mizzen sometimes located right on the transom at the stern.
If a sailing ship has two masts, and the aft is shorter than the fore mast, then the aft mast is called a mizzen mast. And it is in english.
The ship or boat with sails is the yawl, which will typically have 2 sails, the main mast for the main sail and mizzen mast. A yawl is defined as a boat with the mizzen mast aft of the rudder post. A boat with two masts, a main mast and a mizzen mast with the mizzen mast forward of the rudder post is a ketch.
IF you meant the 'mizzen mast' - in relation to sailing - it's the mast immediately aft (or behind) the main mast.
The mizzen is the third mast on a ship, or the mast immediately aft of the mainmast. The top sail on that mizzenmast would the mizzen-top. Your local slang may vary.
Mizzen Mast,Foremast,Main Mast,Rudder,Bow,Stern
The front mast is called the Foremast. Sometimes it is called the mizzen mast.
A Ketch is a sailing vessel with two masts, a main mast and a mizzen mast abaft. Very similar to a Yawl the main differences being a ketch's mizzen mast is forward of the rudder post which in turn gives the ketch a larger sail area. A ketch's mizzen mast is used for propulsion where a yawls mizzen mast is used for trim and balance. Ketches are very common among long distance sailors, since the larger sail area gives you a better balance. Also a ketch allows you to drop your mainsail in sudden wind gusts and sail only with your jib and mizzen set.
You are describing the mast.
On a three-master, from stern to bow, it's Mizzen, Main, Fore. The third mast aft of a mainmast on a ship having three or more masts is called a mizzenmast. My friend Joe is exactly right. For a 3-master, starting at the stern (or the rear end of the boat), you have: * Mizzen * Main * Fore
A yawl (or yaul) is a 2 masted sailing boat with the smaller (mizzen) mast placed well back.
The mast.
On a sailing ship, possibly on the mast.