seaman

noun

sea·​man ˈsē-mən How to pronounce seaman (audio)
1
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

Examples of seaman in a Sentence

a weathered old seaman who now captains a tour boat
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 evil seaman, voiced by Mark Hamill, abducts SpongeBob and Patrick Star with the aim of using them to break a curse on his back. Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 10 June 2025 The Norfolk medical examiner confirmed the body found in the woods belonged to the missing seaman on Wednesday, June 11, the government agency said. Jonathan Limehouse, USA Today, 29 May 2025 And, like the seamen, Celebrity faced a rapidly evolving crisis and changing guidelines. Jim Saunders, Sun Sentinel, 6 May 2025 Government as a protector of health goes way back The U.S. public health service got its start in the 1700s service cared for seamen who were sick or injured. Selena Simmons-Duffin, NPR, 13 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for seaman

Word History

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of seaman was before the 12th century

Cite this Entry

“Seaman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seaman. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

seaman

noun
sea·​man ˈsē-mən How to pronounce seaman (audio)
1
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

More from Merriam-Webster on seaman

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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