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Jack-tar

Jack-tar

9.9
A person who works on a ship, often in the British navy
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : marinero
  • The old Jack-tar told stories of his adventures at sea, captivating the young sailors around him.

Examples

  • In my good friend, Jolly Jack Tar the Sailor.

  • It's Jolly Jack Tar.

  • That's Jolly Jack Tar, the JoviaI Sailor.

  • During the parade, a proud Jack-tar marched in his crisp uniform, representing the British navy.

  • As a Jack-tar, he spent most of his life navigating the treacherous waters of the Atlantic.

Synonyms

sailor
vsJack-tar
78 2.3

A person who works in the navy on a military ship

is similar but can apply to commercial or all sea workers
seaman
vsJack-tar
59 2.8

A person who works on a ship as a crew member below the officers

covers any member of a ship's crew including other ranks
mariner
vsJack-tar
53 6.0

A person who works on a ship at sea

is the general naval crew label, not only navigators
gob
vsJack-tar
  • Archaic
16 9.9

An old informal name for a sailor in the navy

is the modern neutral term used in contemporary contexts
Jack
vsJack-tar
  • Archaic
7 8.6

A person who works on a ship doing basic jobs

is the broader term for any naval or merchant crew member
tar
vsJack-tar
  • Archaic
4 9.9

An old informal name for a sailor who works on ships

is the neutral name for a British naval crew member
sea dog
vsJack-tar
  • Informal
3 6.9

A sailor who has worked at sea for many years

refers neutrally to a crew member without the rough image
seafarer
vsJack-tar
3 4.8

A person who works or travels at sea, like a sailor

is focused on naval service rather than all sea workers
old salt
vsJack-tar
  • Informal
1 8.0

An older sailor who has spent many years at sea

is the standard term without implying age or experience
bluejacket
vsJack-tar
1 7.7

A sailor in the navy who is not an officer

is the general label for any naval crew member
swabby
vsJack-tar
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A sailor who cleans the ship, for example the deck

is the neutral name for any crew person regardless of task

Surface Forms

Jack-tar singular
Jack-tars plural

Morphology

Jack-tar = jack + tar (semi-transparent) = jack + tar

Formally a compound of 'jack' + 'tar', but the meaning relies on the slang sense 'tar' = sailor and historical usage, which may not be obvious to average learners.

Etymology

Jack-tar comes from the common name Jack, used to mean 'a man', and from tar, the sticky waterproof material sailors used on ropes and clothes, so picture a man smeared with tar on a ship. So a Jack-tar was a man who worked on ships, which is why the word means 'sailor' (especially in the British navy).