Sailor

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This article is about naval crewpeople; for other meanings, see sailor (disambiguation). For other uses of mariner, see mariner (disambiguation).

A sailor is a person who navigates ships or assists in the operation, maintenance, or service of ships.

A sailor is also a person who practices the art of controlling the motion of a sailing ship or sailboat, across a body of water.

The term may comprise anyone from an admiral in the navy to a person who goes out sailing or boating (also termed yachting as a hobby).

The term sailor is also used specifically to refer to an enlisted member of a naval force.

The term can be used even more generally. For example, someone who suffers from travel sickness may say that he or she is "not a good sailor".

In the minds of members of the Royal Navy, the term "sailor" refers to someone who is under sail and not on a vessel with motorised power of any kind.

In the Merchant Navy, the term "sailor" has often been used to distinguish Able Seaman, ordinary seamen, and other members of the deck department from crew members working in other departments, such as catering and the engine room.