swabbies
Ship deck cleaners
Swabbies is informal, often affectionate slang for sailors, especially enlisted Navy personnel.
The term comes from swab, the mop used to clean ship decks—a task traditionally assigned to junior sailors.
The swabbies hit the bars as soon as they made port.
Sometimes mildly disparaging when used by non-Navy military.
Maritime vessel crew members
- deckhandsShip's manual laborers
- seamenNaval enlisted personnel
- crewWorking team aboard
- marinersThose who work ships
ratings · enlisted · mops · scrubbing · shipmates · mess · galley · forecastle
Nautical term for friends
- buccaneersCaribbean sea raiders
- scallywagsMischievous people, often children
- privateersLicensed wartime ship raiders
- corsairsSeafaring plunderers
plunder · cutlass · treasure · Jolly Roger · gangplank · parrot · eyepatch · rum
sailors
Maritime vessel crew members
mariners · ratings · enlisted · mops · scrubbing · shipmates · mess · galley · forecastle · berth
mateys
Nautical term for friends
- buccaneersCaribbean sea raiders
- scallywagsMischievous people, often children
- privateersLicensed wartime ship raiders
corsairs · plunder · cutlass · treasure · Jolly Roger · gangplank · parrot · eyepatch · rum · doubloons
swabbiesofficers
Those holding authority
admirals · commodores · captains · brass · commanders
- deck swabbingCleaning a vessel's floor