Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “boatman” come from?

Boatman derives from Middle English bateman, a compound of bate and man, though the ultimate origin and original meaning remain uncertain.

boatman (English): A man in charge of a small boat

Definitions

  1. A man in charge of a small boat

Ancestry of “boatman”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishboteman—

Words derived from “boatman”

  • boatmanship
Every word from Middle English boteman →