matelot

or mate·low

[ mat-loh, mat-l-oh ]

noun

, British Slang.

1. a sailor.

matelot

/ ˈmætləʊ /

noun

1. slang.
   a sailor

Word History and Origins

Origin of matelot¹

1910–15; < French ≪ Middle Dutch mattenoot sailor, equivalent to matte mat ¹ + noot companion ( Dutch genoot )

Word History and Origins

Origin of matelot¹

C20: from French

Example Sentences

Once in town, he dropped into the Jacaranda, a coffee bar that was popular with local youth, and “got talking to a boy, George, in a striped matelot T-shirt and black leather jacket who told me his friends played music,” he later recalled in an interview with the website Classic Bands.

From New York Times

There were the skins of two people, and also the work of two tattooists, and the faces of the subjects of the tattoos; the woman with her complex hairdo, above, and the man in the matelot top.

From The Guardian

But thanks to the huge Paradise Papers data breach, we do know in 2010 the ultimate beneficial owner of Matelot was Nickolay Fomichev, a member of the gang.

From BBC

In 2001 another offshore firm, Matelot Real Estate Incorporated, paid just over £1m for a flat in a shiny new tower block on the River Thames across from Chelsea Harbour, which it sold in 2006.

From BBC

We don't know who was originally behind it because when it was set up Matelot had nominee directors and an anonymous owner.

From BBC