ναύτης
naútēs
G3492 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A person who serves on or navigates a ship, typically as part of the crew; a sailor, mariner, or shipman. Used for individuals engaged in operating or working aboard a sea vessel, encompassing a range of maritime roles.
Semantic Range
sailor, seaman, mariner, crew member, boatman, shipman
Root / Etymology
Greek noun ναύτης is derived from ναῦς ('ship'), with the agent suffix -της indicating a person associated with the root activity; thus, ναύτης literally means 'ship-man' or 'one connected with a ship.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, ναύτης is the standard term for a sailor, denoting someone who works aboard a ship, regardless of rank—often a common seaman rather than an officer or captain. The word occurs in Herodotus and other classical sources, indicating both military and civilian maritime contexts. In the Septuagint, ναύτης translates Hebrew terms for mariners (e.g., Jonah 1:5), particularly in stories about sea voyages. In the New Testament (notably Acts 27), ναύτης refers to crewmen on a Roman trading vessel. The term is broader than specialized nautical terms such as κυβερνήτης ('steersman' or 'pilot') and does not include the owner or master of the ship (ναύκληρος). English translations often use 'sailor' or 'seaman,' which capture its basic sense; the word does not usually convey command responsibility. Its meaning did not significantly shift from classical through Koine Greek; it remained the standard designation for members of a ship's crew, whether traveling the Mediterranean for trade, war, or transport.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ναῦς; a boatman, i.e. seaman:--sailor, shipman.
Root Family
ναύτης (nautēs) — ship, sail, navigate
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3492-01 |
ναῦται | nautai | N NOM M PL |
sailors | ship-men | sailors | 2 |
G3492-02 |
ναυτῶν | nauton | N GEN M PL |
sailors' | of sailors | of sailors | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3492-01 |
Acts 27:27 | ναῦται | nautai | N NOM M PL |
sailors | ship-men | sailors |
G3492-02 |
Acts 27:30 | ναυτῶν | nauton | N GEN M PL |
sailors' | of sailors | of sailors |
G3492-01 |
Revelation 18:17 | ναῦται | nautai | N NOM M PL |
sailors | ship-men | ship-men |