boater

Meaning

Noun

• Someone who travels by boat.
• One who works on a boat, especially as captain.
• A straw hat, very stiff, with a flat brim and crown.

Origin

• From Middle English botere; equivalent to boat + -er. The use of the term for a straw hat stems from the fact that straw hats were the preferred head covering during sunny boat trips on canals and rivers.