Becoming a sailor means learning a lot of new habits, skills, and lessons. Without a doubt, learning to talk like a sailor is like learning a new language.
There’s a lot of slang and acronyms.
But with a little practice, you’ll have it down in no time.
You’ll hear a lot of specific terminology aboard a ship, but you’ll also hear some Navy terms around military establishments like bases or government buildings. If you’re getting ready to head off to Navy boot camp, reviewing these terms will give you an advantage over your peers.
There are many more terms you’ll learn than what’s listed here, but these are some of the main military terms you’ll want to know right away.
Below, we’ve included a list of 73 words to help you get started:
Navy Terms
Abaft — farther aft
Aft — toward the stern
Ahoy — call for attention
All hands — the entire ship’s company
ASN — Assistant Secretary of the Navy
Astern — behind a ship
BAH — basic allowance for housing
BAS — basic allowance for subsistence
Below — beneath (“lay below” means to go downstairs, for example)
Billet — location where a sailor is assigned
Bow — forward end of a boat or ship
Bridge — room from which a ship is commanded
Brig — jail on a ship
BUPERS — Bureau of Navy Personnel
CENTCOM — Central Command
Chow — food
CIC — combat information center
CJCS — Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staffs
CMAA — chief master-at-arms
CMC — Command Master Chief (general)
CMDCM — command master chief petty officer
CNET — chief master-at-arms
CNO — Chief of Naval Operations
CO — commanding officer; AKA “Captain” of the ship
Colors — the national ensign; the ceremony to lower and raise the ensign
Davy Jones’ locker — bottom of the sea
DC — damage control
Dead Ahead — straight ahead
DEERS — Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System
DoD — Department of Defense
DoN — Department of the Navy
Forward — toward the bow
FOUO — for official use only
FSA — family separation allowance
General quarters (GQ) — full readiness for battle
Helm — steering the wheel of the ship
IC — interior communications or internal communications
IFF — identification of friend or foe
Jetty — structure built out from shorelines to change water currents
Jacob’s ladder — portable rope
Knot — 1 nautical mile per hour
Lay — movement of a person
Log — book in which data or events that happened during watch are recorded
Main deck — uppermost complete deck (in aircraft carriers, this is the hangar bay)
MARCENT — U.S. Marine Forces Central Command
Master-at-Arms — ship police force member
Mate — fellow shipmate
Muster — roll call
MWR — Morale, Welfare, and Recreation
NEX — Navy Exchange
OCS — Officer Candidate School
OPSEC — Operational Security
Overboard — over the side of the boat
PCS — permanent change of station
PIR — Pass in Review
PO — petty officer
Pollywog — one who has never crossed over the equator
PRT — physical readiness test
Quarterdeck — deck area designated by the CO as the place to host official events
RDC — recruit division commander
SCPO — senior chief petty officer
Scuttlebutt — drinking fountain; rumor
Shellback — person who has crossed the equator
Shift colors — change arrangement of colors after getting underway
Shipshape — neat, clean
Sick bay — area aboard ship that serves as a hospital or medical clinic
SR— Seaman Recruit
Stern — back part of a vessel
Turn in — heading to bed
UA — unauthorized absence
VCNO — Vice Chief of Naval Operations
Wake — Trail left by watercraft moving through water
Watch — usually a 4-hour period into which a day is divided; a particular duty
XO — executive officer; second person in command
YN — yeoman
Start Talking Like a Sailor
You’ll want to start practicing this lingo long before you head to the Recruit Training Command Center in the Great Lakes.
You may not use these Navy terms every day aboard the ship, but you’ll want to know titles and ranks quite well.
Once you get a copy of The Bluejacket’s Manual at boot camp, you’ll also find an updated dictionary with military terms to refresh your memory.
In the meantime, learn the lingo and pass this list along to family members and friends. That way they’ll know exactly what you’re talking about once you start exchanging letters while you’re in boot camp!
If you have a loved one at RTC Great Lakes, be sure to join our RTC Great Lakes Facebook group by clicking here!
What excites you most about basic training? Share with us in the comments below!
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It’s interesting to know that “colors” in the Navy would mean that it is t lowe and raise the ensign ceremony. I can imagine how it would probably be best to have custom nautical signage placed around the vessel. It’s to ensure that everyone will be aware of the different terms that they need to use to keep them safe on board.
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I have not heard ,”comshaw” a term used when swapping favors, e.g. “how did you get new boondockers? Comshaw, I put a new rack light for a guy in supply”.
From an old WWII term: Cumshaw/Kumshaw – loosely based on a Chinese word ‘Kam-sia’: ” Thanks”* – typically something you traded for, bartered for, or ‘borrowed’. “The old Chief’s one Helluva Kumshaw artist! You name it, he’ll get it!”
Just like ‘Airdales’, or ‘Brown Shoes’, it’s another old Navy term, you don’t hear much any more sadly…
(*Also my translation of the original Chinese may not be accurate, just going by memory…)
In Navy, by two different names. Known as sailor’s secretary of officer on ship?
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What is the expression when a person rings you and says ? That means we are coming over for a party and bringing everything
In the Navy it’s called a “Greeb Light”. In the Air Force it’s a “Roof Stomp”.
Sorry for the typo. It’s “Green Light”.
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I was infantry in the Army, all of you are just Popeyes bait !!
They have a name for you. Bullet stopper
Army = low iq, can’t get in any other branch.
GRUNT-ground recruit unworthy of naval training
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What is the term for guessing when troubleshooting electronic equipment? From the ET world.
FitFO – Figure it the F*** Out
From the FCA world.
Shotgun troubleshooting
(The analogy is that you’re taking a hypothetical shotgun and shooting the electronics equipment and replacing whatever you destroyed. When it doesn’t fix it you “shoot” again).
In 1983, we used the term “Easter egged it”, as in “he Easter Egged” finding the problem by pulling modules or circuit cards out of equipment and swapping with known good modules or circuit cards. Techs will do this quick method as opposed to the use of tech manuals and doing proper troubleshooting procedures.
How about black shoe and brown shoe?Black shoe or shoes as we called them were shipboard sailors and brown shoes were airdales. I was an aviation electronic technician and made several deployments on destroyers since I was in a helicopter squadron. Very different world than fixed wing aviation and life on a ship was a world apart from life back at the squadron/on base.
(Sorry if some of these are repeats, I was just brain-storming and didn’t take time to check each one.)
port and starboard watch sections, mid-watch, pass-down log, 12-on-12-off, 6-on-6-off
dispersing, when the eagle shits, slushing
basic, A-school, wish list
striker, boot, salt,
flags (SM), sparks (RM), boats (BM)
gear adrift, secure your gear
squid, swabby, anchor-clanker, bubble head
lifer, a hitch, short-timer, re-up, FTN
twidget, deck-ape, snipe, airdale
overhead, JP5 line, bulkhead, deck, passageway, ladder (stairs)
un-rep, work party, smoking lamp
dog-down, set damage control
attention on deck, make a hole, make way, gang way, stand aside, stand fast
stand down, turn to, skate, sweepers
underway, liberty, leave, leave chit, UA
pollywog, shellback, kiss the baby’s belly, domain of the golden dragon
UCMJ, restriction, captain’s mast, NJP, busted (in rank), brig, bread & water
blue jacket’s manual, doing PMS
the 1MC, muster
rack, head, navy shower (a technique, not a place)
boondockers, corframs, dixie cup, cover, liberty cuffs,
brightwork, nevr-dull
gedunk, mid-rats, messdeck, mess-cook duty, scuttlebutt
crow, stripes, getting your stripes “pinned on”
small stuff, line, needle gun
deep six, float test, over the side, shitcan (as both noun and verb)
sea bats, sound-powered-telephone batteries
westpac, sea pu–y, pearl, the P.I., butterfly, mojo bar, monkey meat, san magoo
tin can, plank owner, twilight cruise
(78-82 CG-11, CG-31, AE-33)
Great job P. Meyer! I had forgotten so many of these! Me: USN 1979 – 1999, Electrian’s Mate, Fresh Water Snipe, Shellback, Westpac ’86 – ’87
I was assigned to a Command called Firsturlent ( can’t remember how it’s spelled?
what was the term used when you tied a rope to a swab (mop) and pulled it behind ship for cleaning?
0-dark-hundred because the “zero” in time expressions was verbally pronounced “oh” in the US Navy and US Army as late as the 1980s: A slang term for any time between midnight and daylight. Used to convey that the time is when people are usually asleep. e.g. “We have to get up at 0-dark-hundred.” It is not a reference to any particular time.
I was on the U.S.S. CVA 66 America Aircraft Carrier we were suppose to go to the Med. but we. Went West pac instead it was quite of an experience in the waters of VietNam in 1972.
What about (shitcan)joh
My husband and I were both active USN – our kids were raised knowing terms like Turn To (get to work), geedunk, shitchasers (plumbers – yes, I was a DCman), head, sweepers….poor kids. Our oldest son grew up to be a jarhead!!
Ricky Recruit,
Maintain your gigline,
Blanket party
Squid
Ahoy
Ay Ay
CHENG
No Pussy Pay
Jody
Captain saveaho
Old Man(CO)Charlie Oscar
Mike Oscar(Man Overboard)
Butt Kit(ash tray)
Ships not Boats, only boat in navy is BM(Boatswains mate)
Haze grey and underway
Mama san(Asian brothel boss)
Midrats(late night meal)
Who remembers what GOING OVER means?
=mike oscar
Short timer-I’m short-a person who is close to getting out of the Navy
Go fetch that left handed wrench boot
They left out all the obscene words we were told to use, plus things like bulkhead, overhead and deck.
Also,turn to. Belay my last, sweepers sweeper, lifer, lay to the bridge 0800 reports. Heave out trice up racks ect
reveli reveli,
commence ships work,
Now Hear this, this is the Captain speaking, congratulations to Petty officer James for spotting a periscope 2000 feet away, Bravo Zulu
AJ Squared away
CNET – Chief of Naval Education and Training, not Chief Master at Arms
FuFu Juice was cologne or aftershave
Bug juice, clean that 2 inch fire nozzle. Shine that bright work ! Squid!!
Sorry 2 1/2 inch y gate strainer
How about:
Smurfs = Fresh into boot camp. They’re usually decked out on all the blue navy pajamas.
Booters = Fresh out of boot camp into their first ship or shipyard.
Midrats = Midnight Rations. Favorite time for shipmates who work the wee hours to dick around in the galley for unlimited hot dogs and tater tots.
Mast = Captain’s Mast. You don’t want to end up there.
Restriction = You get grounded on the ship usually from Mast.
Berthing = The area you sleep and dick around in.
Gig Line = It’s the alignment from the lining of your shirt down the middle to your buckles lined up to your zipper. Usually a prank on the booters when they first come aboard “You dropped your gig line”. You then get your stink finger and point right down his shirt, they look down and you get them right on the nose. Good harmless hazing.
Unsat = Unsatisfactory.
Left handed wrench = Wild goose chase for the booters. You have them fetch a left handed wrench, they spend hours looking for one saying they can’t find any. You have them ask Master Chief and watch hilarity ensue.
Also X O I NJP EXTRA DUTY 45 /45. IRISH PENNANT.GEEDUNK
My battle group was the Shitty Kitty in the 90’s, when they were stationed in 32nd st San Dog. i was on the USS Antietam(Antichrist)CG-54
Light and Limited we would call Lame and Lazy
GQ=General Quarters
All Hands brace for shock, portside or starboard
port=left starboard=right aft/stern=rear bow/forward-front
What was the term for Sick Bay Commando’s? We had another term, but I forget what it was. People that always went to sick bay or medical to get out of working…. anyone remember?
“Sick lame and lazy”
yep, Light and Limited=Lame and Lazy
how about No Shave Chit
Malingerer! a falsification or profound exaggeration of illness (physical or mental) to gain external benefits such as avoiding work or responsibility, seeking drugs, avoiding trial (law), seeking attention, avoiding military services, leave from school, paid leave from a job, among others.
Sea Lawyer. A guy who know all the laws of the Navy and its regulations. He Knows nothing.
Malingerers
Malingering
Every sailor knows what a fartsack is.
That’s a negative.
That’s probably some boomer WW2 terminology.
Boomers are the children (born 1946-1964) of WW2 folk.
1928 to 1945: the Silent Generation (WW2 Generation).
So, you mean, “WW2 terminology”. not “Boomer WW2 terminology”.
For your reference, so you won’t sound stupid in further comments regarding generations:
1997 to 2012 (Operation Iraqi Freedom, War against Terror): Generation Z
1981 to 1996 (Persian Gulf War): Millennials
1965 to 1980: Generation X
1946 to 1964 (Viet Nam): Baby Boomers
1928 to 1945 (WW2): the Silent Generation
In Deck Division, BM2(Boats) would call Cheri a Nerd, an Ass kisser, and would be put on toilet toothbrush detail during liberty call.
These are more acronyms than anything that the military pretty much use anyway.
They left out knee knockers, snipes, the head, gear adrift, and so much more!
When I was in a recruit was called a raisin. An ashtray was a scuttlebutt. And the kitchen area where you washed dishes was the skullery.
I went to NTC Orlando,Fl only thing I did in my home state! I was Eletrician Mate? Spent 18 months in Nam ! I really wanted to be UDT but blue my knees out? Was on USS America CVA 66
I was a raisin as well. An ashtray was called a butt kit/can.
Grab a boat hook and go to the bow and stand a mail buoy watch
grab some paint and paint charlie noble
go wind the anchor watch
she is flying bravo this week
go grab some pogy bait
and a lot more I cant remember
A scuttlebut was a water fountain, also used the term for rumor. They would talk around the water fountain (scuttlebutt) An ashtray was a butt can.
I remember the terms Ricky Crud (for the sickness that most new recruits get at basic training) and soup sandwich (the term to describe how a recruit looks if their uniform is not proper) from my time at Great Lakes.
slang for Women’s legs…Gamms?
I’m saddened that the following terms were omitted. Anchor’s aweigh, fantail, aloft, port(larboard), starboard, high lining, RADAR, SONAR, abeam, abaft, screws, lee helm, bulkhead, overhead, and scuttle.
What about Gedunk? It was slang for junk food
What is it called if you can see through the first coat of paint on the wall or floor or wherever?
Holiday
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