Definition

Noun

  • The legal title for the captain of a merchant ship.
  • (archaic) An officer on a warship responsible for the navigation of the ship.

Origin

From the Latin word magistrum, meaning master, and then to English via Anglo-Saxon and Old English.

Comments

Until the mid to late 19th century, a master wasn’t necessarily in command of a ship but rather was a warrant officer in charge of the actual sailing of a vessel. A master mariner is a merchant marine officer who is licensed and also qualified for command.

In the British Royal Navy, the master of a warship was an officer, appointed by the Navy Board, with the same rank as a Lieutenant, but subordinate to him in command and responsible for the navigation of a warship, including the ship’s position in the battle line. After 1814, masters ranked with commanders and the rank was known as master and commander. Aboard a merchant vessel, a master had to qualify for the position by passing an examination and earning a “master’s ticket.”

References

Kemp, P. (1994). The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. Oxford University Press.

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.