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Synonyms

companionway

American  
[kuhm-pan-yuhn-wey] / kəmˈpæn jənˌweɪ /

noun

Nautical.
  1. a stair or ladder within the hull of a vessel.

  2. the space occupied by this stair or ladder.


companionway British  
/ kəmˈpænjənˌweɪ /

noun

  1. a stairway or ladder leading from one deck to another in a boat or ship

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of companionway

First recorded in 1830–40; companion 2 + way 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

With a tether connecting her to the 30-foot sailboat, she crouched down in the entrance to the companionway and stayed out of harm’s way while her father trimmed the sail.

From Seattle Times May 28, 2021

One wave smashed through his companionway, flooded the boat, fried his electronics and sparked a small fire.

From Washington Post Sep. 24, 2018

If you want to see how well a boat handles a chop, stand at the bottom of the companionway steps and have the helmsman open up the throttles.

From Time Magazine Archive

The companionway leads to a spacious and minimalist saloon, which has large windows and an unusual cherry interior.

From Time Magazine Archive

He dashed out the door and up the companionway.

From "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch" by Jean Lee Latham

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