seaman

noun

sea·​man ˈsē-mən How to pronounce seaman (audio)
1
2
a
: any of the three ranks below petty officer in the navy or coast guard
b
: an enlisted man in the navy or coast guard ranking above a seaman apprentice and below a petty officer

Examples of seaman in a Sentence

a weathered old seaman who now captains a tour boat
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
These warm wool sweaters were originally knit for the seamen of Ireland’s blustery Aran islands. Kelsey Glennon, Travel + Leisure, 10 Dec. 2024 Within a year, Navy records also show, the sailor was promoted from seaman apprentice to seaman 2nd class. Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 6 Dec. 2024 The year is 1600 and a stubborn British seaman piloting a Dutch ship washes ashore in Japan. Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 6 Dec. 2024 The pilot of a ferry and his supervisor were each sentenced to more than a year in prison after pleading guilty to seaman’s manslaughter in connection to the 2003 crash of the Staten Island Ferry, which killed 11 people. Darcy Costello, Baltimore Sun, 15 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for seaman 

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of seaman was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near seaman

Cite this Entry

“Seaman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seaman. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

seaman

noun
sea·​man ˈsē-mən How to pronounce seaman (audio)
1
2
: a naval enlisted person with a rank below those of petty officers
especially : an enlisted person with a rank just below that of petty officer third class

More from Merriam-Webster on seaman

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!