What does "steerage" mean?
Steerage: (Naut.) (a) The effect of the helm on a ship; the manner in which an individual ship is affected by the helm. (b) The hinder part of a vessel; the stern. [R.] Swift. (c) Properly, the space in the after part of a vessel, under the cabin, but used generally to indicate any part of a vessel having the poorest accommodations and occupied by passengers paying the lowest rate of fare.
Additional senses
- 2.Direction; regulation; management; guidance. He that hath the steerage of my course. Shak.
- 3.That by which a course is directed. [R.] Here he hung on high, The steerage of his wings. Dryden. Steerage passenger, a passenger who takes passage in the steerage of a vessel.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00