landlubber

noun

land·​lub·​ber ˈland-ˌlə-bər How to pronounce landlubber (audio)
: landsman sense 2
clumsy landlubbers learning to sail
landlubberliness noun
landlubberly adjective
landlubbing adjective

Examples of landlubber in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Unlike the prestigious Ivy League squads, the Huskies were mostly middle and working class landlubbers who’d only taken up oars to pay for school. Amy Nicholson, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2023 Experienced seamen were in high demand at the time, and I’d been left with a bunch of landlubbers, green hands, and shore dunces. Mike O’Brien, The New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2023 John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park While John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is best known for its 70 nautical square miles of underwater attractions, landlubbers will find a lot to love here, too. Skye Sherman, Travel + Leisure, 7 Aug. 2023 For landlubbers, though, the attraction of the minuscule spot has always been subdued. Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 22 May 2023 For landlubbers, the Overseas Heritage Trail—90 miles of paved multiuse trails linking the various Keys—runs through Islamorada. Laura Kiniry, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 June 2023 The bay can appear like a playground for the wealthy to landlubbers gazing out at those tipsy faraway white triangles sailing past Alcatraz Island. Julie Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle, 15 Apr. 2023 Other popular waterfront activities include sea kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding, while landlubbers can enjoy hiking, biking, and rock climbing. Anja Mutic, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2023 Sometimes, retreating to the dryness and security of a landlubber's lab is the best way to understand what's happening on a planet far, far away. Discover Magazine, 14 Mar. 2012

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'landlubber.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

land entry 1 + lubber

First Known Use

circa 1700, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of landlubber was circa 1700

Dictionary Entries Near landlubber

Cite this Entry

“Landlubber.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/landlubber. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

landlubber

noun
land·​lub·​ber -ˌ(d)ləb-ər How to pronounce landlubber (audio)

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