Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
topman

topman

9.9
A sailor who works high on a ship's mast to handle sails and ropes
  • noun
  • /ˈtɑpˌmæn/
  • Archaic
translation icon : marinero de alto
  • As a topman, he climbed high above the deck to adjust the sails in the strong wind.

Examples

  • A topman prinks, dykes march, broadsheets

    Fiction book (1994)

  • The experienced topman expertly navigated the rigging to secure the sails on the tall ship.

  • During the storm, the topman was responsible for making sure the sails were properly tied down.

Synonyms

sailor
vstopman
308 1.0

A person who works on a ship as a crew member but not an officer

specializes in working aloft on the highest sails and rigging
seaman
vstopman
59 2.8

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

focuses on working high on the masts rather than rank or gender
mariner
vstopman
53 6.0

A person who works on a ship at sea

operates high on the masts handling sails and rigging, not navigation
rigger
vstopman
8.9

A person who fits sails, masts, and ropes on a ship

works aloft on the highest sails and mast rigging during operations

Surface Forms

topman singular
topmen plural

Morphology

topman = top + man (semi-transparent) = top + man

The components 'top' + 'man' are literal, but the sense is a specialized maritime occupation (a worker on the topmasts), so the exact meaning may not be predictable to all learners.

Etymology

Topman is made from top ('highest part') and man ('person'), so imagine a person up at the top of the mast. So a topman is the sailor who works high on the mast, handling the highest sails and rigging.