Definition

Noun: A cabin boy is a young man or boy employed as a servant on a ship, typically assisting the officers and crew with various duties.

Usage

The term is used to describe a specific, often junior, role in the historical hierarchy of a ship's crew. * The captain ordered the cabin boy to bring fresh water to his quarters. * In many classic sea stories, the cabin boy is eager to prove himself and learn the ways of sailing.

Advanced Usage

• The role of a cabin boy was traditionally an entry-level position for a young person seeking a life at sea, often involving tasks like cleaning, running errands, and serving meals.

Variants and Related Words

• Cabin: (noun) A private room or compartment on a ship.
• Ship's boy: (noun) A similar historical term for a young male servant on a vessel.

Synonyms

• Ship's servant
• Bellboy (on a ship; though this is more modern and specific to passenger vessels)

Notes

This term is largely historical and is most commonly encountered in literature, films, or accounts of sailing from the Age of Sail. On modern vessels, equivalent duties are performed by junior ranks or specific hospitality staff, but the specific title "cabin boy" is rarely used.

Noun

1. a young man acting as a servant on a ship