Phrase guide

first mate

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An officer on a merchant ship next in rank to the captain and responsible to the captain for the safety and security of the ship.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

the officer below the master on a commercial ship

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: mate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: officer, ship's officer

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

21 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 大副 (dàfù) — nautical: officer next in rank to the captain
  • Dutch: eerste stuurman — nautical: officer next in rank to the captain
  • Finnish: perämies — nautical: officer next in rank to the captain
  • Finnish: ensimmäinen perämies — nautical: officer next in rank to the captain
  • Finnish: yliperämies — nautical: officer next in rank to the captain
  • French: second — nautical: officer next in rank to the captain
  • French: second capitaine — nautical: officer next in rank to the captain
  • Greek: ύπαρχος (ýparchos) — nautical: officer next in rank to the captain
  • Irish: ardmháta — nautical: officer next in rank to the captain
  • Irish: céad mháta — nautical: officer next in rank to the captain
  • Italian: secondo di bordo — nautical: officer next in rank to the captain
  • Italian: seconda di bordo — nautical: officer next in rank to the captain
  • Portuguese: imediato — nautical: officer next in rank to the captain
  • Russian: помо́щник капита́на (pomóščnik kapitána) — nautical: officer next in rank to the captain
  • Spanish: primer oficial de cubierta — nautical: officer next in rank to the captain
  • Spanish: primera oficial de cubierta — nautical: officer next in rank to the captain
  • Swedish: förste styrman — nautical: officer next in rank to the captain
  • Turkish: ikinci kaptan — nautical: officer next in rank to the captain
  • Vietnamese: thuyền phó — nautical: officer next in rank to the captain
  • Welsh: mêt — nautical: officer next in rank to the captain
  • Welsh: mêts — nautical: officer next in rank to the captain