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able seawoman

able seawoman

8.6
A woman sailor trained and qualified for special duties on a ship
  • noun
  • /ˈeɪbəl ˈsiːˌwʊmən/
  • Jargon
translation icon : marinera calificada
  • She worked her way up the ranks to become an able seawoman on the cargo ship.

Examples

  • The crew included an experienced able seawoman who specialized in navigation.

  • The able seawoman navigated the ship through rough waters.

  • An able seawoman must complete rigorous training before serving on international vessels.

  • Many able seawomen have joined the merchant marine in recent years.

  • An able seawoman must complete rigorous training before serving on international vessels.

  • She worked her way up the ranks to become an able seawoman on the cargo ship.

  • The crew included an experienced able seawoman who specialized in navigation.

Synonyms

able seaman
vsable seawoman
  • Jargon
1 7.1

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

is female and focuses on special skills for particular duties
able-bodied seaman
vsable seawoman
  • Jargon
1 6.6

A trained, skilled sailor on a merchant ship who helps with navigation and lifeboats

is female and defined by special skills for certain duties
able-bodied seawoman
vsable seawoman
  • Jargon
9.0

A woman sailor on a merchant ship who is fully trained in deck and safety duties

means the same but uses a slightly different phrase form
able-bodied sailor
vsable seawoman
  • Jargon
5.4

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

focuses instead on specific special skills for particular duties
sailor girl
vsable seawoman
4.6

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

applies in merchant service and stresses training for particular duties

Surface Forms

able seawoman singular
able seawomen plural

Morphology

able + seawoman

The sense is a straightforward composition of 'able' (capable) + 'seawoman' (female sailor), so a learner who knows both constituents can infer 'a capable/qualified female sailor' directly. Although 'seawoman' is rare and may be unfamiliar in practice, the adjective+noun compositional pattern is regular and cross-linguistically transparent, so the meaning is predictable from the parts.

Etymology

Able seawoman comes from an old ship job called able seaman. In that job, able meant 'skilled' and a seaman had to climb ropes and do hard work on deck, so the phrase now means a trained female sailor 'qualified' for ship duties.