steerage
steerage Lexical Profile
steerage Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The part of a passenger ship allotted to travelers paying the lowest fare, historically located in the lower decks near the rudder and notorious for crowded, basic conditions.
"Millions of nineteenth-century immigrants crossed the Atlantic Ocean in steerage to begin new lives in North America."
The act or practice of steering a boat or ship, or the effect of the helm on a vessel's movement.
"The heavy currents near the harbor mouth made the steerage of the wooden schooner exceptionally difficult."
• Rhymes for steerage
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the late 15th century from 'steer' and '-age', originally referring to the nautical act of steering a vessel. Because the steering gear on early sailing ships was housed in the lower rear decks, the term came to denote that specific part of the ship, which was later used to house passengers paying the lowest fare.