What does shipbuilder mean?
A shipbuilder is someone who makes ships, or a company whose business is ship construction. The word is especially common in reports about maritime industries, naval construction, commercial vessels, and major engineering contracts. An individual shipbuilder may construct, fit out, or repair a vessel, while an institutional shipbuilder may oversee the design and production of an entire fleet. The term is distinct from shipyard, which names the place where shipbuilding takes place, and it is related but not exactly interchangeable with shipwright, a term particularly associated with traditional wooden ship construction and repair. In contemporary usage, shipbuilder most often refers to a commercial company or major industrial enterprise. Historically, it could also refer more specifically to a person who built ships by hand. The word's compound structure clearly identifies the activity: a “ship” is the object being made, and a “builder” is the person or organization responsible for making it.
nounA person or company that builds ships. The term may refer to an individual craftsperson or to a commercial enterprise that constructs vessels.
- A person who builds ships.
- A company engaged in the construction of ships.
"The shipbuilder secured a contract to construct two research vessels."
"Experienced shipbuilders assembled the vessel in sections."
"The national shipbuilder announced plans to build a new fleet of ferries."
The regular plural is used when referring to multiple individuals or companies engaged in ship construction.
"Several shipbuilders are competing for the contract."
A shipbuilder builds ships; a shipyard is where they are built.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does shipbuilder come from?
Shipbuilder is an English compound formed from ship and builder. Ship descends from Old English scip, while builder comes from Old English bȳldere, meaning a person who builds. The compound follows the ordinary English pattern of joining an object with the term for the person who makes or constructs it. Shipwright belongs to a related semantic family because it also combines a term for ships with a designation for someone who works with or constructs them.
Related word forms
How shipbuilder is actually used
The term is common in maritime, industrial, and news contexts. It usually denotes a person or enterprise rather than the place of construction, which is called a shipyard.
Easily confused with shipbuilder
A shipbuilder constructs ships, whereas a shipwright traditionally builds or repairs wooden ships and may work by hand.
A shipbuilder is the person or company doing the work, while a shipyard is the facility where ships are built or repaired.