seafarer
/ˈsiˌfeɹɚ/ noun
Forms seafarers
- noun Someone whose occupation is operating a ship or boat at sea, for either civilian or military purposes. “An intergovernmental panel will draw up plans to relieve seafarers who have been stuck at sea during a crisis.”
- noun Anyone who travels by sea.
Synonyms
mariner seaman sailor tar Jack-tar Jack old salt gob sea dog
Etymology
From Middle English *se-farere (suggested by se-farende, sa farinde (“sea-faring”)) equivalent to sea + farer (“traveler”) and to seafare + -er. Cognate with Middle Dutch seevarer, whence Modern Dutch zeevaarder (“seafarer”), West Frisian seefarder (“seafarer”), German Seefahrer (“seafarer”), Swedish sjöfarare (“seafarer”).
Webster’s 1913
Etymology [Sea + fare.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “seafarer”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details