Seaman Meaning
/ˈsiːmən/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounSynonym of sailor, particularly on a maritime vessel.
nounA person of the lowest rank in the Navy, below able seaman.
Sentence Examples
Many moons ago, I was a seaman.
Tom is a seaman.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The experienced ____ knew how to navigate the ship during the storm.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The experienced ____ had sailed every ocean and weathered countless storms.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English seeman, seman, from Old English sǣmann. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Seemon (“seaman, sailor”), West Frisian seeman (“seaman, sailor”), Dutch zeeman (“seaman, sailor”), German Low German Seemann (“seaman, sailor”), German Seemann (“seaman, sailor”), Swedish sjöman (“seaman, sailor”), Norwegian sjømann (“seaman, sailor”). Equivalent to sea + -man.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"But was it responsible governance to pass the Longitude Act without other efforts to protect British seamen? Or might it have been subterfuge—a disingenuous attempt to shift attention away from the realities of their life at sea. […] Conditions were horrendous aboard most British naval vessels at the time. Scurvy and other diseases ran rampant, killing more seamen each year than all other causes combined, including combat."
— 2012 March 26, William E. Carter, Merri Sue Carter, “The British Longitude Act Reconsidered”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 18 Apr 2012, page 87:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The experienced ____ knew how to navigate the ship during the storm.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The experienced ____ had sailed every ocean and weathered countless storms.