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sailor

sailor

308 1.0
A person who works on a ship as a crew member but not an officer
  • noun
  • /ˈseɪlər/
translation icon : marinero
  • Many sailors enjoy telling stories of their adventures at sea during shore leave.
  • ship's sailors
  • sailors use sonar
  • Chinese sailors

He responded that we sailors never smile while on duty.

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Examples

  • He responded that we sailors never smile while on duty.

  • I would imagine that most of the sailors and crew stayed close to the ship.

  • Oh, take it easy, sailor.

  • What will the common people of foreign countries, what will the sailors and soldiers say?

  • The English ship stayed close to home again, and almost no sailors were lost to the Spanish.

  • Turns out a number of those sailors died because they were handling these leaves.

  • Sailors say he is near.

  • You are invited to board a ship where a sailor will describe the four-month voyage from England.

    Academic text (1995)
  • Indeed, they are a good source of vitamin C and were once used by sailors to treat and prevent scurvy.

  • We welcome you all along with pilots, sailors, hikers, students, alumni, neighbors and friends.

Synonyms

crew member
vssailor
113 2.4

A person who works as part of a team on a ship, plane, or film set

is used mainly for ship crew roles rather than team work in any setting
seaman
vssailor
59 2.8

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

is gender neutral, meaning any crew person, not necessarily male
mariner
vssailor
53 6.0

A person who works on a ship at sea

is the general crew term, not specifically about navigation or skill
crewman
vssailor
47 3.2

A person who works with others on a ship, aircraft, or vehicle

is specific to ship crew workers rather than crew across different vehicles
crewmember
vssailor
10 3.2

A person who works with others on a ship or plane

is more focused on ship service rather than general crew roles
crewmate
vssailor
10 2.8

A person who works with others on the same ship, plane, or spacecraft

is the general job term, not the word for a colleague relationship
deckhand
vssailor
8 5.7

A crew member who does physical work on a ship's deck

is the broader crew worker role not limited to deck labor or unskilled tasks
seafarer
vssailor
3 4.8

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

is restricted to ship crew workers rather than general sea travellers
able seaman
vssailor
  • Jargon
1 7.1

A sailor who is trained and has a certificate to work on a ship's deck

is the general ship crew worker role without required qualifications
bluejacket
vssailor
1 7.7

A sailor in the navy who is not an officer

is the civilian ship crew term rather than a military naval specific label
swabby
vssailor
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A sailor who cleans the ship, for example the deck

is the standard occupational term, not the informal word for cleaning assignment
shipman
vssailor
  • Archaic
9.9

A sailor who works on a ship

is the modern neutral term rather than an old-fashioned name
able-bodied sailor
vssailor
  • Jargon
5.4

A person on a ship who is fully trained to do all normal jobs

is broader, including untrained or lower skilled crew members as well
deckie
vssailor
  • Jargon
9.3

A person who works on the deck of a ship

is the neutral job term rather than the casual slang form used onboard

Idioms

A person who often uses rude words and swears

Compounds

3 3.2

An outfit for a child or adult that looks like a traditional sailor uniform

1 3.9

A young man who serves in the navy

5.4

A person on a ship who is fully trained to do all normal jobs

A flat round cap with a small or no brim worn by people who work on ships

A woman who works on a ship, often in the navy

Sinbad the Sailor
  • Literature
5.9

A famous sailor in Arabian Nights who has magical sea adventures

How Senior

captain
611 1.1
officer
77 3.1
petty officer
  • Specialized
10 4.8
sailor
308 1.0
deckhand
8 5.7

Surface Forms

sailor singular
sailors plural

Morphology

sailor = sail (transparent) = sail + or

This is a regular agent noun meaning 'a person who sails', so the connection to the base verb is clear.

Etymology

Sailor comes from the word sail, which means 'a large cloth that the wind fills to move a ship'. A sailor was originally someone who worked with the sail, so today it means a person who works on a ship's crew.