landsman

noun

lands·​man ˈlan(d)z-mən How to pronounce landsman (audio)
1
: a fellow countryman
2
: a person who lives on the land
especially : one who knows little or nothing of the sea or seamanship

Examples of landsman in a Sentence

during the time he was an American in Paris he felt a special kinship with his fellow landsmen
Recent Examples on the Web Several vessels collided, terrifying the uninitiated landsmen on board. David Grann, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2023 Though as a Black man Gould had only limited opportunities for advancement, he was later promoted to landsman and then wardroom steward. New York Times, 17 June 2022 This seems more like a landsman’s longing, for rain to fall on fields and fertilise them. The Economist, 16 Dec. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'landsman.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of landsman was in 1598

Dictionary Entries Near landsman

Cite this Entry

“Landsman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/landsman. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

landsman

noun
lands·​man ˈlan(d)z-mən How to pronounce landsman (audio)
: a person who lives or works on land
especially : one who knows little or nothing of the sea and ships
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