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Glite Dictionary
sea steps

sea steps

7.5
A ladder that hangs over the side of a ship to help people climb aboard from the water
  • noun
translation icon : escalera de mar
  • The crew lowered the sea steps to allow the guests to come aboard safely.

Examples

  • The crew lowered the sea steps for the passengers.

  • The sailor tossed down the sea steps to help the visitors come aboard.

  • For safety, always secure the sea steps before allowing passengers to descend.

  • He waited at the bottom of the sea steps until the small boat pulled alongside.

  • Can you see the sea steps on the boat?

  • He waited patiently at the bottom of the sea steps while the yacht anchored.

  • As the cruise ship approached the dock, the sea steps were lowered for the passengers to board.

Synonyms

sea ladder
vssea steps
  • Specialized
6.5

A ladder lowered from a ship to let people climb aboard from the water or a small boat

is the same meaning but is the simpler general nautical term
pilot ladder
vssea steps
  • Specialized
6.3

A rope ladder with wooden or metal steps that you use to board a ship from a small boat

is the general lowered boarding device not limited to rope ladders or pilots
accommodation ladder
vssea steps
  • Specialized
8.2

A portable stair that hangs over the side of a ship to let people get to a boat or pier

is focused on lowered boarding from the sea rather than pier access

Surface Forms

sea steps plural
sea step singular

Morphology

sea + step

The meaning is directly compositional: 'sea' + 'steps' denotes steps used in relation to the sea (i.e., steps or a ladder for boarding from the water). This straightforward noun compounding follows ordinary English patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the intended sense.

Etymology

Sea steps comes from the simple picture of steps lowered down the side of a ship into the sea, so people in a small boat can climb up. That's why it means a ladder used to help people 'come aboard' from the water or a boat.