crew
kroo
Crew (noun) means a group of people working together, especially those operating a ship, aircraft, or production. Example: “The ship's crew gathered on deck as the harbour came into view.”
noun
1
A group of people working together, especially those operating a ship, aircraft, or production.
"The ship's crew gathered on deck as the harbour came into view."
"The film crew worked through the night to finish the scene."
"The cabin crew welcomed passengers as they boarded."
2
A close group of friends or associates, especially informally.
"My crew and I meet at the café every Friday after work."
"Our whole crew is going to the match together tonight."
"He rolled up to the party with his whole crew."
verb
1
To work as part of a crew.
"He crewed on a fishing boat during the long summer holidays."
"Would you like to crew for us in Saturday's sailing race?"
"She crewed on a yacht sailing around the Caribbean."
How to use crew
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA team working together, especially on a vessel or production, or informally a group of friends.
Common pairings
film crew
ship's crew
crew member
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Word forms
- Plural
- crews
- Third person singular
- crews
- Past tense
- crewed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The ship's _____ gathered on deck as the harbour came into view.
Etymology
From Old French creue, "reinforcement, increase", from croistre, "to grow", from Latin crescere — originally meaning fresh troops sent to reinforce an army, later any team of workers.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for crew
See all rhymes for crew →Frequently asked questions
What does “crew” mean?
The word “crew” means a group of people working together, especially those operating a ship, aircraft, or production. In plain terms, a team working together, especially on a vessel or production, or informally a group of friends.
How do you pronounce “crew”?
“Crew” is pronounced kroo (/kɹu/ in IPA).
How do you use “crew” in a sentence?
Here is “crew” used in a sentence: “The film crew worked through the night to finish the scene.”
What is another word for “crew”?
Words with a similar meaning to “crew” include ship's company, all hands, complement, staff, stagehands and clique.
What part of speech is “crew”?
Depending on how it is used, “crew” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “crew” come from?
The word “crew” comes from Latin. From Old French creue, "reinforcement, increase", from croistre, "to grow", from Latin crescere — originally meaning fresh troops sent to reinforce an army, later any team of workers.
Is “crew” a common word?
“Crew” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “crew” have?
“Crew” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a group of people working together, especially those operating a ship, aircraft, or production.
What is the difference between a crew and a team?
Both are groups working together, but the emphasis differs. A team usually shares a common goal and works collaboratively, often in sport or business. A crew is defined by operating something specific, such as a ship, aircraft, or film set, with assigned roles. Every crew is a kind of team, but "crew" stresses the shared task of running an operation.
What is the difference between crew and staff?
Staff refers broadly to the people employed by an organisation, often in offices or service roles. Crew names a group carrying out a particular hands-on operation, such as sailing a ship, flying a plane, or making a film. Staff describes employment; crew describes the working unit performing a specific job.
What is an example of a crew?
A ship's crew operates the vessel; a flight crew runs the aircraft cabin and cockpit; a film crew handles cameras, lighting, and sound on set. The word also covers construction crews, road crews, and ground crews, any coordinated group carrying out a shared, practical task under organised roles.
What do you call the people who operate a ship?
Collectively they are the ship's crew, everyone aboard who works to run the vessel, from officers to deckhands. Individually they may be called crew members or hands. The captain leads them but, strictly speaking, commands the crew rather than being counted as one of its ordinary working members.
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