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Glite Dictionary
ferry driver

ferry driver

1 2.5
A person who drives a boat that carries people or cars across water
  • noun
  • /ˈfɛri ˈdraɪvər/
translation icon : ferryman
  • The ferry driver welcomed everyone aboard.

Examples

  • During the storm, the experienced ferry driver navigated safely to the opposite shore.

  • After years of working as a ferry driver, he knew every current and hazard on the river.

  • The ferry driver waved as the last passenger boarded before departure.

  • She is a skilled ferry driver.

  • The ferry driver safely transported the passengers across the river every morning.

  • As a ferry driver, he enjoyed meeting new people during the daily crossings.

  • The ferry driver skillfully navigated the strong currents to ensure everyone arrived safely.

Synonyms

helmsman
vsferry driver
12 7.7

A person who steers a ship or boat

includes steering but adds responsibility for transporting passengers and vehicles
ferryman
vsferry driver
7 6.4

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

is the same job but does not specify the worker's gender
boatman
vsferry driver
7 2.8

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

is specifically about operating a vehicle that carries people and vehicles across water
waterman
vsferry driver
  • UK
3 7.9

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

focuses specifically on carrying people and vehicles across water rather than general boat work
steerer
vsferry driver
1 7.6

A person who guides a boat or canoe

is the specific transport role moving people and vehicles across water
boatsman
vsferry driver
1 4.0

A person who rows or guides a small boat

is narrower, focusing on transporting people and vehicles across water
steersman
vsferry driver
1 9.2

A person who controls the direction of a boat or ship

shares direction control but focuses on a transport role for people and vehicles
ferrywoman
vsferry driver
7.2

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

is the same job but does not specify the worker's gender
boatwoman
vsferry driver
5.8

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

is about operating a transport vessel for passengers or vehicles rather than general boat work
wheelsman
vsferry driver
  • Jargon
7.9

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

involves steering too but emphasizes carrying people and vehicles across water
boatsteerer
vsferry driver
  • Archaic
9.9

A person who steers a small boat during a whale hunt

is a transport role for passengers and vehicles rather than a niche small boat task

Surface Forms

ferry driver singular
ferry drivers plural

Morphology

ferry + driver

The meaning 'a person who operates a ferry' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'ferry' (a vessel) with 'driver' (a person who drives), following the common noun–noun compounding pattern that denotes the operator of something. This compositional and cross-linguistically frequent pattern is predictable, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Ferry driver comes from the simple image of someone who is the driver of a ferry, a boat that carries cars and people across water, so it means 'a person who runs a ferry'.