mariner

[ mar-uh-ner ]

noun

1. a person who directs or assists in the navigation of a ship; sailor.

   Synonyms: seafarer

2. (initial capital letter) Aerospace. one of a series of U.S. space probes that obtained scientific information while flying by or orbiting around the planets Mars, Mercury, and Venus.

mariner

¹

/ ˈmærɪnə /

noun

1. See seaman
   a formal or literary word for seaman

Mariner

²

/ ˈmærɪnə /

noun

1. any of a series of US space probes launched between 1962 and 1971 that sent back photographs and information concerning the surface of Mars and Venus and also studied interplanetary matter

Word History and Origins

Origin of mariner¹

First recorded in 1250–1300 mariner fordef 1; mariner fordef 2 1960–65; Middle English, from Anglo-French; Old French marinier. See marine, -er ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of mariner¹

C13: from Anglo-French, ultimately from Latin marīnus marine

Synonym Study

See sailor.

Example Sentences

The National Hurricane Center in the United States also issued an ashfall advisory for mariners.

From Washington Post

The 66-year-old, who is a member of the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots, became a merchant mariner because he wanted to see the world.

From Washington Post

Unions and labor advocates say there have been numerous instances in the past year of mariners suffering medical emergencies aboard and not being able to go ashore for vital treatment.

From Washington Post

The work is risky, demanding and essential — 90 percent of the world’s goods are transported by water — and merchant mariners typically work in months-on, months-off rotations to guard against burnout and the pervasive dangers of life at sea.

From Washington Post

Mossman was forced to tell his mariners they had to keep working, a conversation that was replicated by captains and ship operators around the world.

From Washington Post

“The immediate effort to cover up what had been done suggested that they realized it was a crime,” said Mariner.

From The Daily Beast

Happiness Like Water, by Chinelo Okparanta; 208 pp., Mariner Books, $15.

From The Daily Beast

Two excellent sources of story material are Professional Mariner and Trains magazine.

From The Daily Beast

The twin whirlpools threatened the affrightened mariner on either side.

From Project Gutenberg

The most furious winds the mariner knows are those which he encounters as he approaches the still centre.

From Project Gutenberg

There was then in the settlement a veteran mariner named William Kidd.

From Project Gutenberg

The mariner suffered himself to be persuaded, and within two days landed his passengers in safety at Nieuport.

From Project Gutenberg

Seeing how the master-mariner honours the magnetic needle, every thoughtful passenger will probably consult it in like manner.

From Project Gutenberg

More About Mariner

What does mariner mean?

A mariner is a sailor, especially a professional one.

The word sailor is used much more commonly than mariner, which often sounds formal or old-fashioned. Mariner is sometimes used as a more poetic word for sailor, much like its synonym seafarer.

In literature, the word is associated with its use in the title of Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s 1798 epic poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, which is considered highly influential and a landmark of Romantic literature. It is in fact about a sailor.

Mariner was also the name of a NASA program involving a series of probes (which were also each named Mariner along with a number) launched to gather information while orbiting Mars, Venus, and Mercury.

The word also appears in the name of the Seattle Mariners baseball team—a reference to Seattle’s heritage as a port city.

Example: The seaside pub was frequented by salty old mariners.

Where does mariner come from?

The first records of the word mariner come from the 1200s. It ultimately comes from the Latin word marīnus, meaning “marine” (of or relating to the sea or ocean). The suffix -er is used to indicate a person’s occupation (as it is in words like farmer and lawyer).

The word mariner can refer to both professional and amateurs sailors. The term master mariner is a title that can be earned by completing a professional certification that allows a person to operate a naval vessel of any size. Still, the term mariner is not commonly used in general discussion of ships and sailing.

Did you know ... ?

What are some synonyms for mariner?

• sailor
• seafarer
• seaman

What are some words that share a root or word element with mariner? 

• mariner’s compass
• marine
• marina

What are some words that often get used in discussing mariner?

• sail
• ship
• ocean
• ancient
• rime
• Seattle

How is mariner used in real life?

Outside of its use in the name of the Seattle Mariners baseball team, mariner is much less commonly used than sailor, which means the same thing.

A Small Craft Advisory is in effect for our Gulf Waters from 7 AM to 7 PM today. Winds will be north/northeast around 20 kt, with higher gusts, & seas 4 to 6 ft. Inexperienced mariners or those with small vessels are encouraged to alter plans to avoid these conditions. #txwx pic.twitter.com/aQaydp5OoU

— NWS Corpus Christi (@NWSCorpus) November 2, 2019

Vikings are famously fearsome mariners and their swords were status symbols showing they were trained in swordfighting and had the resources to have one made. This 10th c. Viking sword was a gift of our Bronze Door Society and is likely over 1,000 years old! #MarinerMoment pic.twitter.com/vHfGslzHZx

— The Mariners' Museum (@MarinersMuseum) September 10, 2020

Get your sea legs & meet the mariners of Fishermen’s Terminal: https://t.co/iBITdVQHyv

— Port of Seattle – ⚓️ (@PortofSeattle) June 19, 2017

 

 

Try using mariner!

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of mariner?

A. sailor
B. seaman
C. fisherman
D. seafarer