What does cumshaw mean?
A cumshaw is a small gratuity or bonus — a little something extra given on top of what is due, whether as a tip for services rendered or as a complimentary addition to a transaction. The word entered English through the pidgin trade language of the treaty ports of southern China, derived from the Amoy (Xiamen) dialect phrase meaning 'grateful thanks.' It was picked up by sailors, particularly those of the United States Navy and merchant marine, in the nineteenth century and became firmly embedded in naval slang, where a cumshaw might be anything from a few coins to a favor or a pilfered convenience. Though rarely heard ashore today, cumshaw survives in maritime circles as a colorful relic of the age of sail and steam, prized by collectors of nautical vernacular for its exotic pedigree and precise, affectionate meaning: an unearned kindness, freely given.
nounA cumshaw is a small gratuity, gift, or bonus given in addition to what is owed or expected — essentially a tip or something thrown in for free.
- A gratuity or tip given for a service rendered or expected.
- An extra or complimentary item thrown in free of charge.
"The dockworker slipped him a cumshaw of fresh fruit along with his pay."
"He handed the porter a cumshaw before boarding the ship."
"The shopkeeper added a silk fan as a cumshaw with every large purchase."
Standard pluralization applies; the word is normally treated as countable.
"Sailors depended on the cumshaws that came with every cargo handled."
This odd little word was carried out of the tea ports of southern China by American sailors and has been part of the U.S. Navy's vocabulary ever since.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of cumshaw
Cumshaw comes from the dialect of Amoy (Xiamen) in southern China, from a phrase pronounced roughly 'kam-sia,' meaning 'grateful thanks,' which entered the Chinese Pidgin English spoken in the treaty ports. Sailors — especially Americans — borrowed the term in the nineteenth century, and it spread through the U.S. Navy and merchant marine as slang for a tip or gratuity. It remains chiefly a nautical term in modern English.
How cumshaw is actually used
The word is rare outside naval and merchant-marine contexts and carries an informal, old-fashioned flavor. It is used almost exclusively as a countable noun.