IPA: /ˈboʊt.mən/
KK: /ˈboʊtsmən/
A person who operates or works on a boat, especially one who transports people or goods across water.
The boatsman skillfully navigated the river, ensuring all passengers were safe.
Boatsman is formed from "boat" (from Old English "bāt", meaning a small vessel for traveling on water) and "-sman" (meaning a person who). A boatsman is a person who operates or works on a boat.
Think of a 'boat' as a small vessel and '-sman' indicating a person. This helps you remember that a boatsman is someone who works on or operates a boat.