In the Book of Genesis, Noah's vessel was called the Ark.
Genesis describes the Ark as a large wooden vessel built by Noah at God's command. It was intended to preserve Noah, his family, and representatives of the world's animals during the Flood. The narrative gives construction instructions, including compartments, a roof, and a coating of pitch to make the vessel watertight.
The English word “ark” comes through Old French and Latin from a word meaning chest or box. In the biblical account, the Hebrew term is tebah, which is also used for the basket in which the infant Moses is placed in Exodus. That shared term has led scholars to note a literary connection between the two rescue stories.
The Ark is often confused with Noah's entire story, but the vessel itself is only one part of the larger Flood narrative. Later Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions add details that are not all present in Genesis.