Meanings
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1
noun
a person who lives or works on the water, especially a boatman who carries passengers or goods on a river or canal
They hired a Thames waterman to row them downstream before dawn.
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2
noun
a person skilled in rowing, boating, or several other water sports
Years of rowing and diving made him an accomplished waterman.
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3
noun
historically, a person who supplied water, including an attendant who watered horses at a cab stand
The cab-stand waterman refilled the horses' trough between fares.
Thesaurus
Etymology
From Middle English waterman, a compound of water + man. It first named people whose livelihood was on or beside the water, including river boat operators and water carriers. Specialized regional and sporting senses developed from those occupations and skills.