Mary Celeste

English

Alternative forms

• (Erroneously) Marie Celeste A short story describing a fictional explanation of the disappearance, written by the British author Arthur Conan Doyle, became very popular several years after the real events. Doyle based this fictional account on the real story, and deliberately changed the names of the characters. He also, possibly accidentally, changed the name of the ship to Marie Celeste, and the latter name has become more widely used in everyday parlance.

Etymology

From an American-flagged brigantine by this name that was found drifting and deserted in the Atlantic Ocean in 1872. The disappearance of the crew and passengers has never been satisfactorily explained.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Noun

Mary Celeste (plural Mary Celestes)

1. (idiomatic) A ship found empty of all people, in good condition, seemingly abandoned on the high seas; a ghost ship.

Synonyms

• Flying Dutchman
• ghost ship