coxswain

[ kok-suhn ]
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noun
  1. a person who steers a racing shell.

  2. a person who is in charge of a ship's boat and its crew, under an officer, and who steers it.

Origin of coxswain

1
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English cokeswayne; see origin at cockboat, swain
  • Sometimes cock·swain .

pronunciation note For coxswain

The spelling pronunciation [kok-sweyn] /ˈkɒkˌsweɪn/ is almost never used.

Words Nearby coxswain

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British Dictionary definitions for coxswain

coxswain

/ (ˈkɒksən, -ˌsweɪn) /


noun
  1. the helmsman of a lifeboat, racing shell, etc: Also called: cockswain

Origin of coxswain

1
C15: from cock a ship's boat + swain

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012