merchant marine

English

Noun

merchant marine (plural merchant marines)

1. (countable) Synonym of merchant navy: a fleet of commercial vessels.
2. (countable) Synonym of merchant ship: a single vessel in such a fleet.
   • 1923 May 28, “Captain Dollar Speaks”, in Time:

     Captain Robert Dollar of San Francisco, dean of American ship owners, […] is still, although nearly 80, the eager champion of an American privately owned merchant marine.

3. (countable, proscribed, nonstandard) Synonym of merchant mariner: a sailor in such a fleet.

Usage notes

The merchant mariner sense is a catachresis born of misconception, influenced by the notion that as a marine is a naval infantryman, a merchant marine would be a single commercial sailor; thus come catachrestic phrases such as he joined the merchant marines [sic]. But the sense is common enough that it is often accepted politely without objection in casual conversation.

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Dutch: ^{(please verify)} koopvaardijvloot, ^{(please verify)} koopvaarders m pl, ^{(please verify)} burgerlijk zeeman m
• French: ^{(please verify)} marine marchande (fr), marin marchand m