Definition

Noun

  • A crew member who created and maintained the barrels for the ship’s stores.

Origin

14th century. From the Middle Dutch, kuper, also from German, and back to the Latin cuparius, meaning barrel maker.

Comments

A particularly important man aboard whaling ships, since he made the barrels to store the whale oil.

References

King, D., Hattendorf, J.B, & Estes, J.W. (1997). A Sea of Words: A Lexicon and Companion for Patrick O’Brian’s Seafaring Tales (2nd Ed.). Owl Books.

Rogers, J.G. (1985). Origins of Sea Terms. Mystic Seaport.