Origins of Sea Terms

Origins of Sea Terms differs from existing glossaries and dictionaries. It emphasizes word roots and earliest meanings, making it an indispensable companion to standard maritime dictionaries. The author steers his way through a potentially dry subject with a witty flair that will please as well as inform. The mariner’s language is almost universal in its usage and its sources. An idle curiosity about the derivation of the term peajacket led John G. Rogers to devour ancient and modern texts in his six-year search for the origins of sea terms. While light-hearted in its presentation, Origins of Sea Terms is serious in intent. It contains 1,248 entries pertaining to life on board ship, hulls and rigging, ship handling, sea and weather conditions, and naval and technical terms. Origins of Sea Terms is volume XI in Mystic Seaport Museum’s American Maritime Library.