waterman

Meanings

1. 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.

2. 2
   noun

   a person skilled in rowing, boating, or several other water sports

   Years of rowing and diving made him an accomplished waterman.

3. 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.

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.

Topics

External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary