swabby

Or swab·bie

[swob-ee]

noun

plural

swabbies 

1. Slang.,  (in the Navy or Coast Guard) a sailor; gob.

Word History and Origins

Origin of swabby¹

First recorded in 1940–45; swab + -y ²

Example Sentences

You love working with Joe Mantello so much that when he directed the Sting musical, “The Last Ship,” you wanted him to write you a cameo role as an asexual deckhand named Swabby.

From New York Times

We were laughing about Swabby.

From New York Times

Carlyle is the ship’s swabby—a guy with bright red hair in a short peach fuzz, and a smile friendlier than anyone else’s on the ship.

From Literature

“I’m a swabby by choice,” he told me once.

From Literature

Carlyle, the swabby, is also there.

From Literature