signalman

noun

sig·​nal·​man ˈsig-nᵊl-mən How to pronounce signalman (audio)
-ˌman
: a person who signals or works with signals (as on a railway)

Examples of signalman in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The visit holds personal significance for Biden, whose father, Donald Jacobs, served as a Navy signalman during World War II. Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2024 His father was a railway signalman, his mother a maid. Reuters, NBC News, 21 Nov. 2024 The Association of American Railroads trade group said in a statement that the new dispatcher and signalmen rules aren’t likely to make a significant improvement in safety because the railroads already train their employees. Josh Funk, Fortune, 21 May 2024 According to the National Archives and Records, Johnston got the idea after reading an article that talked about how the Army used Native American soldiers as signalmen during training maneuvers. Abigail Celaya, The Arizona Republic, 14 Aug. 2023 His father, a banker, went overseas as a Navy signalman during World War II. Washington Post Staff, Washington Post, 3 May 2023 Her father was a Navy signalman in World War II and went to college on the G.I. Bill. Wendy Fox Weber, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2022 First lady Biden, the daughter of a U.S. Navy signalman during World War II and a champion of military families, is the official sponsor of the U.S. Navy warship, an honor given by the secretary of the Navy. Marisa Schultz, Fox News, 2 Apr. 2022 The signalman on duty lifted the receiver and passed the call to shift supervisor Valentin Heiko, a veteran of the defunct facility. Joe Parkinson and Drew Hinshaw, WSJ, 15 Mar. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1737, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of signalman was in 1737

Dictionary Entries Near signalman

Cite this Entry

“Signalman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/signalman. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

signalman

noun
sig·​nal·​man ˈsig-nᵊl-mən How to pronounce signalman (audio)
-ˌman
: a person who sends signals or works with signals
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