boatswain

[ boh-suhn ]

noun

1. a warrant officer on a warship, or a petty officer on a merchant vessel, in charge of rigging, anchors, cables, etc.

boatswain

/ ˈbəʊsən /

noun

1. a petty officer on a merchant ship or a warrant officer on a warship who is responsible for the maintenance of the ship and its equipment

Pronunciation Note

The spelling pronunciation [boht, -sweyn] is almost never used.

Word History and Origins

Origin of boatswain¹

First recorded in 1400–50, boatswain is from the late Middle English word bote-swayn. See boat, swain

Word History and Origins

Origin of boatswain¹

Old English bātswegen ; see boat , swain

Example Sentences

Traitors star Jasmine Boatswain says online abuse after her appearance on the show left her struggling to leave the house.

From BBC

The service expanded the number of those category four recruits arguing that a number of jobs — such as cook or boatswain mate — don’t require an overall high test score, as long as they meet the job standards.

From Seattle Times

"I did my application in like five minutes on a whim as a joke," faithful Jasmine Boatswain tells BBC Newsbeat.

From BBC

In a November 2020 post in honor of Veterans Day, the company saluted Violette, who enlisted in the Navy at 19 and became a boatswain’s mate aboard the USS Ranger aircraft carrier supporting troops in Vietnam.

From Los Angeles Times

Mr. Potts, a 20-year-old crane operator with the rank of boatswain’s mate, had been on leave in Honolulu for two days.

From New York Times