chiefly US
: all of a country's ships that are used for trading goods rather than for war
also
: the people who work such ships
a member of the merchant marine
called also (British) merchant navy
Cite this Entry
“Merchant marine.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/merchant%20marine. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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