lubber

American  

[luhb-er] / ˈlʌb ər /

noun

1. a big, clumsy, stupid person; lout.

2. an awkward or unskilled sailor; landlubber.

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adjective

1. clumsy; stupid; lubberly.

verb (used without object)

1. to behave like a lubber, especially in the handling of a boat.

lubber British  

/ ˈlʌbə /

noun

1. a big, awkward, or stupid person

2. short for landlubber

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Other Word Forms

• lubberliness noun
• lubberly adjective

Etymology

Origin of lubber

First recorded in 1325–75, lubber is from the Middle English word lobre. See lob ¹, -er ¹

Example Sentences

Unlike other grasshopper species which are winged and agile, the lubber can’t fly.

From Washington Times • Jul. 21, 2019

Fast-forward a few months, though, and the lubber becomes an almost invincible warrior in shining bright - and toxic - armor: the lubber’s colorful exoskeleton serves as a warning that says’I’m poisonous’ to predators.

From Washington Times • Jul. 21, 2019

But this is South Florida, home of bizarre and showy creatures, and it’s high Eastern lubber season.

From Washington Times • Jul. 21, 2019

Check the width of the vertical range-finder lines and the lubber line-if they leave you guessing the center of the image in dim light, accurate bearings will be hard to take.

From Time Magazine Archive

The last poor lubber had got his sea legs.

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