shellback

American  

[shel-bak] / ˈʃɛlˌbæk /

noun

1. an old sailor.

2. a person who has crossed the equator by boat.

---

shellback British  

/ ˈʃɛlˌbæk /

noun

1. informal a sailor who has crossed the equator Compare polliwog

2. an experienced or old sailor

---

Etymology

Origin of shellback

First recorded in 1880–85; shell + back ¹

Example Sentences

To make “Showgirl,” she reteamed with the Swedish producers Max Martin and Shellback, with whom she’d collaborated on some of her biggest singles, including “Blank Space,” “Bad Blood” and “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.”

From Los Angeles Times

Before Wolf started recording with Martin, he remembers him saying, “I want to bring in Shellback, because I think we need somebody who’s younger, who’s hungry, to give it that energy and perspective.”

From The Wall Street Journal

When Martin accepted the Polar Music Prize, a Swedish honor that has also been awarded to Bruce Springsteen and Paul Simon, in 2016, he shouted out Shellback in his speech.

From The Wall Street Journal

To prevent this from happening again, he has been careful to seek out co-writers—Ali Payami, Savan Kotecha, Shellback and more—who will challenge him, collaborators he’s “scared of playing stuff to,” as he put it in 2020.

From The Wall Street Journal

Shellback, who played in metal bands before joining forces with Martin, adapted quickly to his new environment.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• boater
• cadet
• diver
• marine
• pilot