Nearby words
Origin of man-of-war
1400–50 in sense “soldier”; late Middle English
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Examples from the Web for man-of-war
British Dictionary definitions for man-of-war
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Word Origin and History for man-of-war
man-of-war
late 14c., "a soldier," from man (n.) + war. Meaning "vessel equipped for warfare" is from late 15c. Man in the sense of "a ship" is attested from late 15c. in combinations (e.g. merchantman). The sea creature known as the Portuguese man-of-war (1707) is so called for its sail-like crest.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper