Indiamann.
/ˈɪndɪəman/, /ˈɪndɪəmən/, U.S. /ˈɪndiəˌmæn/ Now historical.
A ship engaged in trade with India, or the East or West Indies; spec. a large trading ship belonging to the East India Company. Cf. East Indiaman n., West Indiaman n.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > trading vessel > [noun] > trading to or from specific place
West Indies man1587
Indiaman1588
West Indy man1616
Lubecker1627
Chinaman1653
East Indiaman1675
West Indiaman1689
South-seaman1728
Levanter1812
Indianeer1840
South Spainer1856
1588 H. Browne Deposition 30 Nov. in D. B. Quinn New Amer. World (1979) IV. 50/1 They took thre Brasil men and an India men [sic] laden with sugers wynes oliphantes teeth and some gould.
1704 Lives, Eng. & Forein I. 114 He advis'd her Majesty to Order them to make directly to the Azores, and there wait for the India Men.
1748 B. Robins & R. Walter Voy. round World by Anson iii. vii. 365 The French pretending their India-men to be Men of War.
1772 Ann. Reg. 1771 65 On the private trade of an homeward bound India~man.
1805 W. Hunter in Naval Chron. 13 8 Our anchors being unstocked, as is the custom in Indiamen,..we found great difficulty in..steadying them, in order to get the anchors in the stocks.
1840 F. Marryat Poor Jack xxvi. 180 I had remained at Deal about three weeks, when an outward-bound Indiaman anchored in the Downs.
1911 Mariner′s Mirror 1 16 Before Government built the special transports for the Indian service these modern Indiamen did nearly all the trooping.
1956 P. O'Brian Golden Ocean vi. 95 They are calling for me now, as the Indiaman sails on the Tide.
2000 A. Bulley Bombay Country Ships x. 161 The Company's fleet of Indiamen hanging about in the mouth of the river.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2009; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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