Ferrywoman

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A woman whose job is to transport passengers, vehicles or goods across water by operating a ferry boat
2. A female person who runs a boat service carrying people and cargo over a stretch of water
3. The woman in charge of a ferry, conveying travelers from one shore of a river or channel to the other

Etymology: Ferrywoman is about as plain a compound as English offers: "ferry" joined to "woman." The ferry half goes back to Old English "ferian," meaning to carry or convey, and the woman half is the ordinary Old English "wīfmann," so the whole word simply describes a woman who carries people across water for a fare. Its parts have been in English for centuries, and the compound itself is a transparent formation with no special coinage story behind it. The more interesting part is the role itself. Ferrywomen appear in many folk traditions, and the figure of a woman who ferries souls across a river to the afterlife is a familiar motif in literature. Because the word is built from two everyday words, its meaning has always been easy to read, which is why it has stayed so direct over time.

Synonyms: boatwoman, ferrier