boatswain

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English botswain, botswein, bote-swayn, from late Old English bātsweġen, from bāt (“boat”) + sweġen (“swain”), the latter element a borrowing from Old Norse sveinn (“boy”); equivalent to boat +‎ swain (“boy, servant”).[1]

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): (UK) /ˈbəʊ.sən/, (spelling pronunciation) /ˈbəʊt.sweɪn/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)
  • (US, Canada) IPA(key): /ˈboʊ.sən/
  • Rhymes: (UK) -əʊsən, (US, Canada) -oʊsən

Noun

boatswain (plural boatswains)

  2. A person aboard ship who is in charge of various maritime affairs.
    2. The officer (or warrant officer) in charge of sails, rigging, anchors, cables etc. and all work on deck of a sailing ship.
    4. The petty officer of a merchant ship who controls the work of other seamen.
  3. A kind of gull, the jaeger.
  4. The tropicbird.

Quotations

Derived terms

Translations

References

  1. ^ “boatswain”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
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