merchant marine
noun
1
: the privately or publicly owned commercial ships of a nation
2
: the personnel of a merchant marine
specifically : a member of a merchant marine
merchant mariner noun
Jeff Moore, 32, a John Deere salesman whose brother is a merchant mariner and whose father is first mate on a tugboat, keeps a journal of each exploration. 
Pam Belluck
Pam Belluck 
Example Sentences
a member of the merchant marine
Recent Examples on the Web Snake Island’s liberation signaled to the Ukrainian merchant marine that the western Black Sea was safe for commerce. David Axe, Forbes, 18 Aug. 2022 The other leader, Lt. Ihor, 32, a broad-shouldered Odessa merchant marine engineer with a shaved head, seemed more comfortable in his new role. Yaroslav Trofimov, WSJ, 17 Aug. 2022 There is also an urgent need for a merchant marine capable of supporting the military in wartime and a cadre of skilled tradesmen who can perform vital industrial tasks such as welding and pipe-fitting. Alexander B. Gray, WSJ, 18 Aug. 2022 Richardson had been born in London and had gone to sea at the age of 12, at first working as a cabin boy in the British merchant marine, then working his way up the ranks until becoming a captain. Gary Kamiya, San Francisco Chronicle, 13 May 2022 The 1920 census gives his occupation as merchant marine officer. Greg Daugherty, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Apr. 2022 Maria Flores raised five sons while the family patriarch, Raul Sr., was away for months at a time as a merchant marine. New York Times, 4 Feb. 2022 Her father was a besotted but amiable cook in the merchant marine who had served in the Royal Navy during World War II. Washington Post, 6 Jan. 2022 Judging from trends in the industry, though, current cargo-preference requirements are not adequate to maintain a robust merchant marine. Loren Thompson, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2021 See More
David Axe, Forbes, 18 Aug. 2022 The other leader, Lt. Ihor, 32, a broad-shouldered Odessa merchant marine engineer with a shaved head, seemed more comfortable in his new role. Yaroslav Trofimov, WSJ, 17 Aug. 2022 There is also an urgent need for a merchant marine capable of supporting the military in wartime and a cadre of skilled tradesmen who can perform vital industrial tasks such as welding and pipe-fitting. Alexander B. Gray, WSJ, 18 Aug. 2022 Richardson had been born in London and had gone to sea at the age of 12, at first working as a cabin boy in the British merchant marine, then working his way up the ranks until becoming a captain. Gary Kamiya, San Francisco Chronicle, 13 May 2022 The 1920 census gives his occupation as merchant marine officer. Greg Daugherty, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Apr. 2022 Maria Flores raised five sons while the family patriarch, Raul Sr., was away for months at a time as a merchant marine. New York Times, 4 Feb. 2022 Her father was a besotted but amiable cook in the merchant marine who had served in the Royal Navy during World War II. Washington Post, 6 Jan. 2022 Judging from trends in the industry, though, current cargo-preference requirements are not adequate to maintain a robust merchant marine. Loren Thompson, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2021 See More Word History
First Known Use
1839, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
merchant marine
noun
1
: the trading ships of a nation
2
: the people who work in trading ships