waterman

noun

wa·ter·man | \ ˈwȯ-tər-mən

How to pronounce waterman (audio)

, ˈwä-\

Definition of waterman

: one who works or lives on the water: such as

a : a man who makes his living from the water (as by fishing)

b : a boatman who plies for hire usually on inland waters or harbors

Examples of waterman in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Business has dropped because the watermen stopped coming in for sandwiches, slices of hummingbird cake, the odd wrench or crabbing boots. — Petula Dvorak, Washington Post, "Many Maryland watermen deny the crab crisis is Trump’s fault. Except it is.," 7 May 2018 In the 1980s, crab houses started bringing workers from Mexico through a program that lets them live and work in the United States during the warmer months and then return to Mexico in the winter, when watermen are prohibited from crabbing. — Scott Dance, Washington Post, "Crab crisis: Md. seafood industry loses 40 percent of workforce in visa lottery," 3 May 2018 In a typical year, Maryland watermen sell more than 30 million pounds of crabs, about $55 million worth at docks around the Chesapeake Bay. — Scott Dance, baltimoresun.com, "After July Fourth crab feasts, an uncertain season for Maryland seafood industry," 6 July 2018 Venezuelan crab meat was already a concern for many Maryland watermen, but not for health reasons — the imports are major competitors to local seafood. — Scott Dance, baltimoresun.com, "Marylanders warned to avoid Venezuelan crab meat after nine sickened by Vibrio bacteria," 7 July 2018 Some past fish kills have been epic in proportions: In 1997, an outbreak of Pfisteria caused lesions in fish as well as health problems in watermen. — Christina Tkacik, Washington Post, "Maryland officials investigate fish kill in Baltimore Harbor," 1 May 2018 Springtime has always been rife with hazard for the watermen of the Chesapeake. — Earl Swift, Outside Online, "The Incredible True Story of the Henrietta C.," 20 June 2018 For years, Powley and other watermen have fished for crab bait to deliver to processors like Russell Hall Seafood. — NBC News, "Trump's visa changes are clawing a famous crab town. And they voted for him.," 15 May 2018 Three-mile-long Tilghman Island (tilghmanisland.com/) is revered for its rustic milieu, multi-generational watermen and Phillips Wharf Environment Center’s touchy-feely nature experiences. — Stephanie Citron, baltimoresun.com, "Can’t-miss detours along Maryland's Eastern Shore to explore on your beach trip this summer," 8 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'waterman.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near waterman

waterman's knot

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Time Traveler for waterman

The first known use of waterman was in the 12th century

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