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 of mariner

• sailor
• navigator

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

Seas will also begin to lower as the nor'easter pulls away, but inexperienced mariners and small vessels are encouraged to stay docked on Monday as rough seas and gusty winds are still likely. — Sarah Wroblewski, CBS News, 27 Sep. 2026

For example, Kingsborough Community College, located in South Brooklyn, where the Sheepshead and Jamaica Bays meet the Atlantic Ocean, operates a maritime technology program that is training the next generation of local mariners. — Julie Raskin, New York Daily News, 24 Sep. 2026

If there was only sea, with water that never stands still, locating anything would be much more complicated—as mariners know full well. — Literary Hub, 21 Sep. 2026

Officials said a good Samaritan vessel also stepped in, rescuing the 15-year-old survivor and recovering the bodies of the two deceased mariners from the water. — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2026

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