supercargo

[ soo-per-kahr-goh, soo-per-kahr- ]

/ ˌsu pərˈkɑr goʊ, ˈsu pərˌkɑr- /

noun, plural su·per·car·goes, su·per·car·gos.

a merchant-ship officer who is in charge of the cargo and the commercial concerns of the voyage.

Nearby words

superbug, supercalender, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, supercapital, supercar, supercargo, supercede, supercell, supercharge, supercharged, supercharger

Origin of supercargo

1690–1700; < Spanish sobrecargo, with sobre- over (< Latin super) Latinized; replacing supracargo (with supra- for Spanish sobre-); see cargo

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for supercargo

That something was wrong they did not doubt, and they waited impatiently for the supercargo to reappear with his brown book.
Dave Porter in the South Seas|Edward Stratemeyer
The supercargo had noticed how the groups clinging at the bases of the other trees continually diminished.
South Sea Tales|Jack London
You're the hoight av impidence, an' I'm persuaded ye'll corrupt our supercargo in a week.
"Captains Courageous"|Rudyard Kipling
Save for the Kanakas, who were all bent for shore, only Grief and the supercargo were in the boat.
A Son Of The Sun|Jack London

He had engaged in this voyage as supercargo of Captain Swan's ship.'
History of the Buccaneers of America|James Burney

British Dictionary definitions for supercargo

supercargo

/ (ˌsuːpəˈkɑːɡəʊ) /

noun plural -goes

an officer on a merchant ship who supervises commercial matters and is in charge of the cargo

Word Origin for supercargo

C17: changed from Spanish sobrecargo, from sobre over (from Latin super) + cargo cargo

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012