mariner
noun
mar·i·ner
ˈmer-ə-nər 
ˈma-rə-
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In Coleridge's Rime of the Ancient Mariner, an old seaman tells of how, by shooting a friendly albatross, he had brought storms and disaster to his ship, and how as punishment his shipmates hung the great seabird around the mariner's neck and made him wear it until it rotted. The word mariner has occasionally been used to mean simply "explorer", as in the famous Mariner spaceflights in the 1960s and '70s, the first to fly close to Mars, Venus, and Mercury.
Synonyms
Examples of mariner in a Sentence
the ancient Phoenicians were outstanding mariners who explored and colonized much of the eastern Mediterranean
Recent Examples on the Web
Based out of smaller home ports such as Greenport on Long Island, the Picket Force flotilla was known informally as the Corsair Fleet or, sometimes, the Hooligan Navy, an unsubtle nod to the ragtag collection of mariners at its core.
—
David Wolman, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Jan. 2025
Perched atop a windswept bluff, this Victorian Gothic beauty has been guiding mariners since 1890.
—Cliff Lewis, Orange County Register, 13 Dec. 2024
Ancient Greek mariners sailing through the Strait of Messina had a dilemma.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2024
Forecasters are warning that high winds are only expected to worsen through at least Wednesday, with several warnings issued across the state, both on land and for mariners.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
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David Wolman, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Jan. 2025
Perched atop a windswept bluff, this Victorian Gothic beauty has been guiding mariners since 1890.
—Cliff Lewis, Orange County Register, 13 Dec. 2024
Ancient Greek mariners sailing through the Strait of Messina had a dilemma.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2024
Forecasters are warning that high winds are only expected to worsen through at least Wednesday, with several warnings issued across the state, both on land and for mariners.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for mariner
Dictionary Entries Near mariner
Cite this Entry
“Mariner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mariner. Accessed 19 Jan. 2025.
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mariner
noun
mar·i·ner
ˈmar-ə-nər
: one who navigates or assists in navigating a ship : sailor
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