# Plimsoll line

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. Properly the International Load Line, a mark on the hull of a merchant ship to show the waterline under specified conditions. The line shows the maximum capacity load the ship may carry.

## Etymology
From Samuel Plimsoll, Bristol merchant and member of Parliament; promoter of the Merchant Shipping Act.

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