seaman

Meaning

Noun

• A mariner or sailor, one who mans a ship. Opposed to landman or landsman.
• A person of the lowest rank in the Navy, below able seaman.
• An enlisted rate in the United States Navy and United States Coast Guard, ranking below petty officer third class and above seaman apprentice.
• A merman; the male of the mermaid.

Origin

• From Middle English seman, from Old English sǣmann, equivalent to sea + -man. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Seemon, West Frisian seeman, Dutch zeeman, German Low German Seemann, German Seemann, Swedish sjöman, Norwegian sjømann.