seafarer

Etymology

Came into English from Middle English *se-farere (suggested by se-farende, sa farinde (“sea-faring”)), equivalent to sea and farer (“traveler”) and to seafare and -er. It is cognate with Middle Dutch seevarer, whence Modern Dutch zeevaarder (“seafarer”), West Frisian seefarder (“seafarer”), German Seefahrer (“seafarer”) and Swedish sjöfarare (“seafarer”).