coxswain
Americannoun
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a person who steers a racing shell.
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a person who is in charge of a ship's boat and its crew, under an officer, and who steers it.
noun
Pronunciation
The spelling pronunciation is almost never used.
Etymology
Origin of coxswain
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English cokeswayne; see origin at cockboat, swain
Explanation
The coxswain is the person who steers a boat: the helmsman. If you’re going the wrong way on the sea, blame the coxswain. There are many different jobs on a boat, including captain and cook. One of the most important jobs is coxswain, which is the helmsman or steersman. In other words, the coxswain is the equivalent of the driver of a car. A coxswain is also the helmsman of a racing crew, like a rowing crew in a competition. The swain part is from a word meaning "servant," and cox is from cok, meaning "a small boat."
Vocabulary lists containing coxswain
Treasure Island
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The Boys in the Boat
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A Thousand Sisters
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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.
Coroner Monica Chow said on Wednesday that the crash happened because of gross negligence by the coxswain from each vessel.
From Barron's • Jan. 21, 2026
He likened Ambriz’s job to that of a coxswain in crew, getting multiple participants, with their own “fiefdoms and lease lines,” rowing in the same direction.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 2, 2024
George as a director, you are like a coach or coxswain.
From Salon • Dec. 25, 2023
“The movie is awesome,” UW men’s coxswain Kieran Joyce said.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 22, 2023
“Typical coxswain abuse,” one Washington cox later said, laughing.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
