mariner

noun

mar·​i·​ner ˈmer-ə-nər 

ˈma-rə-

: a person who navigates or assists in navigating a ship : seaman, sailor

Did you know?

In Coleridge's Rime of the Ancient Mariner, an old seaman tells of how, by shooting a friendly albatross, he had brought storms and disaster to his ship, and how as punishment his shipmates hung the great seabird around the mariner's neck and made him wear it until it rotted. The word mariner has occasionally been used to mean simply "explorer", as in the famous Mariner spaceflights in the 1960s and '70s, the first to fly close to Mars, Venus, and Mercury.

Synonyms

• gob
• hearty
• jack
• jack-tar
• navigator
• sailor
• salt
• sea dog
• seafarer
• seaman
• shipman
• swab
• swabbie [slang]
• swabby
• tar

Examples of mariner in a Sentence

the ancient Phoenicians were outstanding mariners who explored and colonized much of the eastern Mediterranean

Recent Examples on the Web

The National Weather Service has issued a gale warning and high surf advisory across the coast in Northern California, calling the ocean conditions hazardous, especially for inexperienced mariners and those operating small vessels. —Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024

Third-party ship management is a growing part of the maritime industry, said Capt. Ashok Pandey, a master mariner and associate professor of maritime business at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. —USA TODAY, 25 Sep. 2024

The Reformation x Clare Waight Keller collection includes mariner chain necklaces and belts, sculptural cuffs and hoops, chain pendant necklaces in dainty and chunky silhouettes, and statement floral earrings finished with pearls and cubic zirconia stones. —Danielle Directo-Meston, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Oct. 2024

During the coronavirus pandemic, for example, when travel restrictions blocked mariners from returning home after months at sea, Unni emerged as their outspoken champion. —USA TODAY, 25 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin marinarius, from marinus

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing mariner

• mariner's compass

Kids Definition

mariner

noun

mar·​i·​ner ˈmar-ə-nər 

: one who navigates or assists in navigating a ship : sailor