noun
mariner
MA-rih-nuh
noun
1
A sailor, especially one who works on a seagoing ship.
"The old mariner told stories of storms he'd survived at sea."
"Experienced mariners can read the weather from the sky and the swell."
How to Use Mariner
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA somewhat literary or formal word for a sailor.
When to use it
More common in literature and ship names (e.g., "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner") than in everyday speech, where "sailor" is standard.
Common pairings
an old mariner
experienced mariners
a mariner's compass
Word Forms
mariners plural, Mariners plural
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Etymology
From Old French marinier, from Latin marinus ("of the sea") — essentially "mark" + "-er" applied to the sea itself.