Meaning & use
boatman
Last updated
UK/ˈbəʊtmən/
US/ˈboʊtmən/
Meaning
nouncountableold-fashioned
A man who rows, steers or operates a boat, especially for hire or to carry passengers.
Grammar: Plural is boatmen, not boatmans.
Patterns
- hire a boatman
- a boatman on the river
The boatman rowed us across the river for a few coins.
A local boatman showed the tourists around the lake.
The old boatman knew every bend of the canal.
Word forms
| plural | boatmen |
|---|
Common combinations
- hire a boatman
- We hired a boatman to take us to the island.
- a ferry boatman
- The ferry boatman waited for the last passenger.
- a skilled boatman
- He was a skilled boatman who never lost a passenger.
- the boatman rowed
- The boatman rowed steadily against the current.
Synonyms and how they differ
- ferryman
- It is narrower, referring to someone who carries people across a stretch of water on a fixed route.
- boater
- It is more neutral and usually means someone sailing or rowing for pleasure, not for work.
- waterman
- It is older and more specialized, often meaning a person who works on rivers or harbors.
Word family
Commonly confused: boatman or boatswain?
boatman vs boatswain
A boatswain (bosun) is a ship's officer in charge of crew and equipment, not someone hired to row passengers.
Practice
The tourists paid the ___ to row them across the river.
Choose one answer.
A boatman is a person who operates a boat for passengers. A boatswain is a ship's officer, so it does not fit a small river crossing.
Make it your own
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