# jacktar

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. A sailor; especially, one in the Royal Navy.

## Etymology
From jack (“common man or sailor”) + tar (“tarpaulin”), used for a common sailor dating back to the 1600s.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/jacktar