mariner
noun
mar·i·ner
ˈmer-ə-nər 
ˈma-rə-
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In Coleridge's Rime of the Ancient Mariner, an old seaman tells of how, by shooting a friendly albatross, he had brought storms and disaster to his ship, and how as punishment his shipmates hung the great seabird around the mariner's neck and made him wear it until it rotted. The word mariner has occasionally been used to mean simply "explorer", as in the famous Mariner spaceflights in the 1960s and '70s, the first to fly close to Mars, Venus, and Mercury.
Examples of mariner in a Sentence
the ancient Phoenicians were outstanding mariners who explored and colonized much of the eastern Mediterranean
Recent Examples on the Web
The same spiny oyster will be used for bracelets, and there’s a Marine Link necklace inspired by the mariner link chain used to anchor ships.
—
Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 1 Aug. 2025
Great Lakes mariners often work a 60-days-on, 30-days-off schedule.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 14 July 2025
But this one has a series of features for mariners.
—Andrew Williams, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
Until the early 20th century, stories of shark attacks were considered mariners’ tall tales, lumped in with mermaid and sea serpent sightings.
—Hans Walters, New York Daily News, 19 July 2025
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Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 1 Aug. 2025
Great Lakes mariners often work a 60-days-on, 30-days-off schedule.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 14 July 2025
But this one has a series of features for mariners.
—Andrew Williams, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
Until the early 20th century, stories of shark attacks were considered mariners’ tall tales, lumped in with mermaid and sea serpent sightings.
—Hans Walters, New York Daily News, 19 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for mariner
Cite this Entry
“Mariner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mariner. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mariner
noun
mar·i·ner
ˈmar-ə-nər
: one who navigates or assists in navigating a ship : sailor
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