merchant marine
Definition
Noun: 1. The commercial ships of a nation: The collective term for all the ships owned by a country or an industry that are used for transporting cargo and passengers, not for military purposes. 2. The personnel of a nation's commercial ships: The collective body of officers and crew members who work aboard these civilian ships.
Usage Examples
- As the fleet of ships:
- The country's merchant marine is vital for importing oil and exporting manufactured goods.
- During the war, the merchant marine played a crucial role in supplying allied forces.
- As the personnel:
- He served in the merchant marine for twenty years before becoming a harbor pilot.
- The union represents the interests of the merchant marine.
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used in geopolitical and economic contexts to discuss a nation's shipping capacity and maritime trade power.
- It can be contrasted with a navy (military ships) and a coast guard (law enforcement and rescue ships).
Variants and Related Words
- Merchant navy: A synonym commonly used, especially in British English.
- Merchant ship (n): An individual commercial vessel, such as a container ship or tanker.
- Merchant mariner (n): A person who serves in the merchant marine; a sailor on a civilian ship.
- Merchant vessel (n): A formal term for a merchant ship.
Synonyms
- Commercial fleet
- Merchant fleet
- Shipping fleet
Related Phrases
- To serve in the merchant marine: To work as a sailor on civilian cargo or passenger ships.
- Both her grandfathers served in the merchant marine.
Noun
-
conveyance provided by the ships belonging to one country or industry
-
the crew of a merchant vessel
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