Standard Lemma guide

steersman

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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈstɪəz.mən/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /ˈstiɹz.mən/
  • US: /ˈstɪɹz.mən/

1

noun

Meaning 1

One who steers a ship or other vessel; the helmsman.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: nautical, transport

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

the person who steers a ship

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: helmsman, steerer

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: mariner, seaman, tar, Jack-tar, Jack, old salt, seafarer, gob, sea dog

Narrower terms: coxswain, cox

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English steer English -s- Proto-Indo-European *mon- Proto-Germanic *mann- Proto-West Germanic *mann Old English mann Middle English man Middle English -man English -man English steersman From steer + -s- + -man.

Across languages

Translations

21 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: кормчия (kormčija) — one who steers a ship
  • Bulgarian: рулеви (rulevi) — one who steers a ship
  • Czech: kormidelník — one who steers a ship
  • Galician: temoneiro — one who steers a ship
  • Ancient Greek: κυβερνήτης (kubernḗtēs) — one who steers a ship
  • Hawaiian: uli — one who steers a ship
  • Hungarian: kormányos — one who steers a ship
  • Irish: stiúrthóir — one who steers a ship
  • Latin: gubernātor — one who steers a ship
  • Macedonian: ко́рмилар (kórmilar) — one who steers a ship
  • Māori: kaitia — one who steers a ship
  • Māori: kaiwhakaue — one who steers a ship
  • Māori: kaiurungi — one who steers a ship
  • Old English: sċipstēora — one who steers a ship
  • Polish: sternik — one who steers a ship
  • Polish: sterniczka — one who steers a ship
  • Russian: рулевой (rulevoj) — one who steers a ship
  • Swedish: rorsman — one who steers a ship
  • Swedish: rorgängare — one who steers a ship
  • Swedish: styrman — one who steers a ship
  • Telugu: నావికుడు (nāvikuḍu) — one who steers a ship