stevedore

1 of 2

noun

ste·​ve·​dore ˈstē-və-ˌdȯr How to pronounce stevedore (audio)
 also  ˈstēv-ˌdȯr
: one who works at or is responsible for loading and unloading ships in port

stevedore

2 of 2

verb

stevedored; stevedoring

transitive verb

: to handle (cargo) as a stevedore
also : to load or unload the cargo of (a ship) in port

intransitive verb

: to work as a stevedore

Examples of stevedore in a Sentence

Noun on the wharves, stevedores were unloading cargo from the far corners of the world
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.
Noun
As part of these reforms, the Royal Navy impounded dozens of merchant vessels for allegedly evading customs duties, enraging merchants as well as mariners, shipwrights, stevedores, and others in port cities whose livelihoods depended on foreign commerce. Time, 9 Oct. 2025 The jobs reflected in the survey include dockworkers, stevedores, truck drivers, financing and administrative positions. Tom Hudson, Sun Sentinel, 10 July 2025 His father was a stevedore and his mother an autodidact who aspired to something better than the prefab house where her family lived. Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 5 May 2025 America dodged a sledgehammer on Thursday night, when striking stevedores reached a tentative agreement to return to work. Dan Primack, Axios, 4 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for stevedore

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Spanish estibador, from estibar to pack — more at steeve

First Known Use

Noun

1788, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1862, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of stevedore was in 1788

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stevedore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stevedore. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

stevedore

noun
ste·​ve·​dore
ˈstēv(-ə)-ˌdō(ə)r,
-ˌdȯ(ə)r
: a person who loads and unloads boats in port
Etymology

Noun

from Spanish estibador "stevedore," from estibar "to pack"

More from Merriam-Webster on stevedore

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!