helmsman

H4E1L1M3S1M3A1N1
/ˈhɛlmz.mən/

noun

A member of a ship's crew who is responsible for steering.

Similar
steersman
OriginEnglish man ← Middle English man ← Old English mann →
UncommonScrabble 15
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Meanings

nounhelmsman (plural helmsmen)

plural helmsmen · alternative obsolete helmesman · alternative obsolete helme-man

  1. A member of a ship's crew who is responsible for steering.
  2. figurativelyA leader.

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna man who steers a ship

Similar
steersman
Broader
steerermanadult male
Also see
steersman

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Englishhelm
  2. Proto-Indo-European*mon-
  3. Proto-Germanic*mann-
  4. Proto-West Germanic*mann
  5. Old Englishmann
  6. Middle Englishman
  7. Englishman
  8. Englishhelmsman

From helm + -s- + man.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans stuurman
  • stuurmanperson responsible for steering a ship
Ancient Greek κυβερνήτης
  • κυβερνήτης (kubernḗtēs)person responsible for steering a ship
Bulgarian щу́рман, рулеви
  • щу́рман (štúrman)person responsible for steering a ship
  • рулеви (rulevi)person responsible for steering a ship
  • кормчи́я (kormčíja)person responsible for steering a ship
Catalan timoner
  • timonerperson responsible for steering a ship
Chinese Mandarin 舵手
  • 舵手 (duòshǒu)person responsible for steering a ship
Czech kormidelník
  • kormidelníkperson responsible for steering a ship
Danish styrmand, rorgænger
  • styrmandperson responsible for steering a ship
  • rorgængerperson responsible for steering a ship
Dutch stuurman, roerganger
  • stuurmanperson responsible for steering a ship
  • roergangerperson responsible for steering a ship
Finnish peränpitäjä, ruorimies
  • peränpitäjäperson responsible for steering a ship
  • ruorimiesperson responsible for steering a ship
  • perämiesperson responsible for steering a ship
French barreur, timonier
  • barreurperson responsible for steering a ship
  • timonierperson responsible for steering a ship
German Steuermann, Rudergänger
  • Steuermannperson responsible for steering a ship
  • Rudergängerperson responsible for steering a ship
Greek πηδαλιούχος
  • πηδαλιούχος (pidalioúchos)person responsible for steering a ship
Hebrew הַגַּאִי, תּוֹפֵשׂ הֶגֶה
  • הַגַּאִי (hagai)person responsible for steering a ship
  • תּוֹפֵשׂ הֶגֶה (tofes hegeh)person responsible for steering a ship
Hungarian kormányos
  • kormányosperson responsible for steering a ship
Italian timoniere, nocchiero
  • timoniereperson responsible for steering a ship
  • nocchieroperson responsible for steering a ship
  • nocchiereperson responsible for steering a ship
Japanese 舵手
  • 舵手 (dashu)person responsible for steering a ship
Korean 키잡이, 타수
  • 키잡이 (kijabi)person responsible for steering a ship
  • 타수 (tasu)person responsible for steering a ship
Latin gubernātor
  • gubernātorperson responsible for steering a ship
Māori kaitia, kaiwhakaue
  • kaitiaperson responsible for steering a ship
  • kaiwhakaueperson responsible for steering a ship
  • kaiurungiperson responsible for steering a ship
Norwegian Bokmål styrmann
  • styrmannperson responsible for steering a ship
Polish sternik, sterniczka
  • sternikperson responsible for steering a ship
  • sterniczkaperson responsible for steering a ship
Portuguese timoneiro
  • timoneiroperson responsible for steering a ship
Romanian cârmaci
  • cârmaciperson responsible for steering a ship
Russian шту́рман, рулево́й
  • шту́рман (štúrman)person responsible for steering a ship
  • рулево́й (rulevój)person responsible for steering a ship
  • ко́рмчий (kórmčij)person responsible for steering a ship
Slovak kormidelník
  • kormidelníkperson responsible for steering a ship
Spanish timonel, timonero
  • timonelperson responsible for steering a ship
  • timoneroperson responsible for steering a ship
Swedish rorsman, rorgängare
  • rorsmanperson responsible for steering a ship
  • rorgängareperson responsible for steering a ship
Tagalog tagaugit
  • tagaugitperson responsible for steering a ship
Turkish dümenci
  • dümenciperson responsible for steering a ship
Ukrainian шту́рман, рульови́й
  • шту́рман (štúrman)person responsible for steering a ship
  • рульови́й (rulʹovýj)person responsible for steering a ship
  • кермови́й (kermovýj)person responsible for steering a ship
  • стернови́й (sternovýj)person responsible for steering a ship
  • керма́нич (kermányč)person responsible for steering a ship
Cite this entry
APA

helmsman. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/helmsman

MLA

“helmsman.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/helmsman. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “helmsman,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/helmsman.

Source: helmsman on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.