boatman

7 2.8

A man who rows or steers a boat to carry people across water

noun
/ˈboʊtmən/

: barquero

There was a boatman to take care of the boats, to put them in the water in the spring and scrape their bottoms in the winter.
boatman knows

To see all this and more, bury yourself with coins on your eyes so the boatman can ferry you across.

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Examples

The boatman slows, puts the panga in neutral, and keeps his hands in sight.

Fiction book (2002)
"Amazing," whispered the scholar, "this boatman knows so much."

Academic text (1995)
The boatman just brought it over.

Evil Under the Sun (1982)
"You can read?" the first boatman asked me in surprise.

Fiction book (2002)
So the boatman quickly held up five fingers, meaning, "I eat five at one time."

Academic text (1995)
The boatman says it's shorter.

Conflict (1945)
Then the Chinese scholar had the boatman turn the boat around, and he quickly returned to his own home.

Academic text (1995)
Hector has reached the river, but it is already growing dark and the boatman has gone for the night.

Fiction book (1993)
Startled, I realized the boatman had spoken for the first time.

Fiction book (2000)
Every morning, the boatman rows tourists across the river to admire the sunrise.

Synonyms

rower

vsboatman

13 2.1

A person who uses oars to move a boat, often for sport

is a male worker whose job involves rowing steering or guiding commercially

helmsman

vsboatman

12 7.7

A person who steers a ship or boat

is a male worker whose role may include steering plus other boat tasks

ferryman

vsboatman

7 6.4

A person who takes people across a river or lake by boat

is a male whose role covers ferry work among other boat tasks

waterman

vsboatman

3 7.9

A person who moves a boat to carry people across rivers or canals

is the male worker focused on rowing steering or guiding boats

oarsman

vsboatman

1 4.4

A person who rows a boat, often in a team

is a male worker whose role includes rowing but is broader

steerer

vsboatman

1 7.6

A person who guides a boat or canoe

is a male worker whose job explicitly includes steering rowing and guiding

boatsman

vsboatman

1 4.0

A person who rows or guides a small boat

is specifically a male worker who rows steers or drives boats

ferry driver

vsboatman

1 2.5

A person who drives a boat that carries people or cars across water

is a male worker whose duties include rowing steering or driving boats

riverman

vsboatman

1 7.0

A person who works or lives by a river, for example as a boatman

is a male worker specifically employed to row steer or guide boats

cox

vsboatman

Jargon

1 8.8

A person who steers and gives directions in a racing boat used for rowing

is a male worker whose duties cover everyday ferrying and guiding roles

steersman

vsboatman

1 9.2

A person who controls the direction of a boat or ship

is a male worker who rows steers or drives small passenger boats

sternman

vsboatman

Jargon

1 8.6

A person who works at the back of a small fishing boat steering or handling nets

is a male worker whose role covers steering and guiding whole boat

keelboatman

vsboatman

Archaic

9.6

A person who works on a long river boat that carries goods

is a male boat worker whose tasks include rowing steering or driving

doryman

vsboatman

9.6

A person who rows a small flat-bottomed fishing boat

is a male boat worker whose job can include that small boat work

wheelsman

vsboatman

Jargon

7.9

A person who steers a boat or ship by using the wheel

is a male worker whose job covers steering small boats and guiding

boatsteerer

vsboatman

Archaic

9.9

A person who steers a small boat during a whale hunt

is a male worker whose duties include steering and guiding passengers

steerswoman

vsboatman

8.9

A woman who controls the direction of a boat or ship

is the male occupational form covering the same steering and guiding work

boatwoman

vsboatman

5.8

A woman who drives or guides a boat, often as her job

is the male occupational term for similar driving or navigating tasks

ferrywoman

vsboatman

7.2

A woman who takes people across a river by boat as her job

is the male form used for the same ferry operating occupation

punter

vsboatman

9.1

A person who uses a long pole to move a flat boat on shallow water

is a male worker whose job can use various propulsion methods including poles

polesman

vsboatman

8.1

A person who moves a boat by pushing with a long pole, often in shallow water

is a male boat worker whose role may also use pole propulsion when needed

raftsman

vsboatman

9.0

A person who travels on or steers a raft for work

is a male worker whose duties include steering or guiding various small boats

raftman

vsboatman

9.3

A person who works on a raft to carry people or goods along a river

is a male occupational term covering raft work among other boat tasks

Compounds

water boatman

7.4

A small water insect that swims with flat back legs and eats tiny animals

Surface Forms

boatman singular

boatmen plural

Morphology

boatman = boat + man (transparent) = boat + man

A straightforward compound of two nouns referring to a person associated with a boat; meaning is directly inferable.

Etymology

The word boatman is simply boat + man, meaning 'boat person'. It has been used for a long time for someone whose job is to row, steer, or drive a boat, like a ferryman or guide.