coxswain

English

The man on the left is the coxswain of the boat

Alternative forms

• cockswain

Etymology

From Middle English cokswain; equivalent to cock (“a boat”) +‎ swain (“boy, servant”); hence “the master of a boat”.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈkɒk.s(ə)n/; (spelling pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈkɒkˌsweɪn/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈkɑk.s(ə)n/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒksən

Noun

coxswain (plural coxswains)

1. In a ship's boat, the helmsman given charge of the boat's crew.
2. (rowing) The member of a crew who steers the shell and coordinates the power and rhythm of the rowers.
3. (archaic) The second or third mate of a vessel, in charge of the master's barge.
4. (naval) A rank or position.

   Canadian Navy Coxswain (or Capitaine d'Armes) is the senior non-commissioned officer aboard a ship

   British Royal Navy Cadets Cadet Coxswain is the highest normal rank which may be achieved.

Derived terms

• cox

Translations

crew member who helms a boat

• Bulgarian: рулеви m (rulevi)
• Catalan: timoner (ca) m
• Czech: kormidelník (cs) m
• Galician: temoneiro (gl) m, timoeiro m, rodista m
• German: Bootsführer m
• Hebrew: הַגַּאִי (he) m (hagai)
• Italian: timoniere (it) m
• Macedonian: ко́рмилар m (kórmilar)
• Maori: kaiurungi
• Portuguese: timoneiro (pt) m, timoneiros m pl
• Spanish: timonero m, timonel (es) m

a crew member in a rowing team who gives the rhythm

• Bulgarian: загребни m (zagrebni)
• Czech: kormidelník (cs) m
• Faroese: róðursmaður m
• Galician: temoneiro (gl) m, timoeiro m, rodista m
• German: Steuermann (de) m
• Italian: nocchiere (it) m, nocchiero (it) m, timoniere (it) m
• Maori: kaituki, kaihautū
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: styrmann m

  Nynorsk: styrmann m

Verb

coxswain (third-person singular simple present coxswains, present participle coxswaining, simple past and past participle coxswained)

1. (transitive, intransative) To act as coxswain for.

   to coxswain for a college rowing team

   to coxswain a boat

Derived terms

• cox