ship's boy

American  

noun

1. a male attendant, as a cabin boy, steward, etc., employed to wait on a ship's passengers or officers.

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ship's boy British  

noun

1. a young man or boy employed to attend the needs of passengers or officers aboard ship

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Etymology

Origin of ship's boy

First recorded in 1545–55

Example Sentences

Some days Captain Reed sacrificed one of his meals to Harison, the ship’s boy they’d picked up in the Paradise Islands, or Jigo, the oldest man on watch, but they were all going hungry.

From "The Reader" by Traci Chee

Soon, the cook would send the ship’s boy to the hold to fetch a link of sausage or a slab of pork.

From "The Reader" by Traci Chee

The ship’s boy nodded and scrambled away, nearly knocking into Cooky, who stumbled from the galley, calling for Aly.

From "The Reader" by Traci Chee

A long shadow crossed the hold to the galley store, where the ship’s boy unlocked the door and began poking among the barrels, a silhouette of long limbs and curls on the curving timbers.

From "The Reader" by Traci Chee

The ship’s boy was older than he was in the book, but he had the same black curls, the same wide-set puppy-dog eyes.

From "The Reader" by Traci Chee