landlubber

[ land-luhb-er ]

noun

1. an unseasoned sailor or someone unfamiliar with the sea.

landlubber

/ ˈlændˌlʌbə /

noun

1. nautical any person having no experience at sea

Other Words From

• landlubber·ish adjective
• landlubber·ly landlubbing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of landlubber¹

First recorded in 1690–1700; land + lubber

Word History and Origins

Origin of landlubber¹

C18: land + lubber

Example Sentences

But even if most mammals are landlubbers, the ability to glide or fly has evolved again and again during mammalian evolution, in species ranging from bats to flying squirrels.

From Science Daily

Shifa, for all her cleverness, was very much a landlubber and not much use at sea.

From Literature

Unlike the prestigious Ivy League squads, the Huskies were mostly middle and working class landlubbers who’d only taken up oars to pay for school.

From New York Times

And a great many of us landlubbers are cheering them on — quite the swing in sentiment since “Jaws” made us all rethink our relationship with the ocean’s murk.

From Los Angeles Times

For millions of years, early landlubbers likely wriggled back to the ocean to swallow prey snagged on land.

From Science Magazine