seaman

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: B2 — Upper-Intermediate

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a man who serves as a sailor
  2. noun muckraking United States journalist who exposed bad conditions in mental institutions (1867-1922)

Etymology

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.

In classic literature

Synonyms

mariner, tar, Jack-tar, Jack, old salt, seafarer, gob, sea dog

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