seaman

noun

sea·​man ˈsē-mən 

1

: sailor, mariner

2

a

: any of the three ranks below petty officer in the navy or coast guard

b

: an enlisted man in the navy or coast guard ranking above a seaman apprentice and below a petty officer

Synonyms

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

Examples of seaman in a Sentence

a weathered old seaman who now captains a tour boat

Recent Examples on the Web

Three of the Indonesian seamen also spoke separately to The New York Times. —Choe Sang-Hun, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2025

Captains and seamen alike reaped the benefits of having these scientists on board with them. —Will McGough, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025

The captain of a diving boat has been found guilty of seaman’s manslaughter after one of his passengers died tangled up in the propeller, according to federal prosecutors in Florida. —Mark Price, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2025

For their heroic efforts, two — an ensign and a seaman — were awarded medals of honor. —Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 6 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing seaman

• able-bodied seaman
• able seaman
• merchant seaman
• ordinary seaman
• seaman apprentice
• seaman recruit

Rhymes for seaman

• beeman
• daemon
• demon
• leman
• niemann
• seamen
• semen
• enginemen

Kids Definition

seaman

noun

sea·​man ˈsē-mən 

1

: sailor, mariner

2

: a naval enlisted person with a rank below those of petty officers

especially : an enlisted person with a rank just below that of petty officer third class