crew

crew — noun

1. all the people employed to run a ship, aircraft, train, or other vehicle, from t

1.nounB1
Definition

all the people employed to run a ship, aircraft, train, or other vehicle, from the captain or pilot down to the general workers.

Example

The flight crew on the Tokyo route always checks the emergency equipment before takeoff.

collocation: flight crew / cabin crew / ground crew

Tendai worked as part of the ground crew at Nairobi Airport for two years.

Common collocations
  • crew member
  • crew chief
  • flight crew
  • ground crew
  • cabin crew
  • ship's crew
  • rescue crew
  • film crew
  • camera crew
Synonyms
  • team

    broader; any group cooperating toward a shared goal, not limited to vehicles

  • staff

    used for employees in offices, schools, or service settings, not for vehicle operators

  • personnel

    more formal; refers to employees in any organization, including but not limited to vehicles

Grammar Patterns

crew of + noun

the + crew + of + noun (vehicle)

Usage Note

Frequently used as a collective noun. In British English, both singular and plural verb forms are used ("the crew is" / "the crew are"). Individual members are referred to as "crew members" or "members of the crew."

Common Mistakes

He is a crew on the ship.
He is a crew member on the ship.
Crew is a collective noun; one person is a 'crew member,' not 'a crew.'

2. the members of a ship or aircraft crew who carry out the practical work but are

2.nounB2
Definition

the members of a ship or aircraft crew who carry out the practical work but are not in charge as officers.

Example

Unlike the officers, the crew slept in crowded quarters near the engine room.

contrast: crew vs. officers

After passing the exam, Otis moved from the crew to the officer's rank.

Common collocations
  • crew quarters
  • crew area
  • crew vs. officers
  • ship's crew
Synonyms
  • hands

    historical nautical term for ship workers below officer rank; informal and somewhat old-fashioned

  • ratings

    British Navy term for non-officer crew members; very specific to military contexts

Antonyms
  • officers

    the people in command positions on a ship or aircraft

Grammar Patterns

the + crew

crew + (verb) + without officers

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense explicitly excludes the officers in charge. The distinction is mainly found in traditional maritime and military contexts. In everyday modern usage, sense 1 (all onboard workers) is far more common.

3. an athletic activity in which teams use long oars to push a narrow boat through

3.nounB2
Definition

an athletic activity in which teams use long oars to push a narrow boat through water, or the team that takes part in such races.

Example

The university crew trained every morning at six o'clock on the river.

Ziad joined the crew in his first year and became the team's strongest rower.

collocation: join the crew (rowing team)

Common collocations
  • crew team
  • crew race
  • join the crew
  • college crew
  • varsity crew
Synonyms
  • rowing team

    more explicit and general; understood in both British and American English

  • eight

    specific to a boat with eight rowers and a coxswain; narrower than 'crew'

Grammar Patterns

the + crew (as a team)

crew (as a sport, uncountable)

Usage Note

In this sense, 'crew' can be uncountable referring to the sport itself ('She does crew') or countable referring to the team ('two crews competed'). The sport is also called 'rowing' in British English, while 'crew' is the preferred term in American college contexts.

crew — verb

Word family

  • crew member
    nounB1
  • crewing
    nounC1
  • crewed
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Crew, team, staff, gang, and squad all refer to a group of people working together, but they differ in context and connotation. Crew is most commonly used for people operating a vehicle (ship, plane, train) or for specialized production groups in entertainment (film crew, camera crew). Team emphasizes cooperation toward a shared goal and is used broadly for sports, work projects, and organizations. Staff refers to the employees of a company, school, or institution, typically in an office or service setting. Gang can mean a group of friends or coworkers in informal British English ('the usual gang'), but in American English it often carries a negative criminal association. Squad is a small, organized unit within a larger team, often used in military, police, or sports contexts. For example: 'The flight crew prepared for takeoff' but 'The sales team met their quarterly targets.'

team ↗staff ↗gang ↗squad ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • together (the crew worked together)

Prepositions

  • on (crew on a ship / plane)
  • of (crew of the vessel)
  • for (crew for a race / captain)

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Crew entered English in the 1400s from Old French 'creue,' meaning a reinforcement or an augmentation of soldiers. The French word came from 'croistre' (to grow), which traces back to Latin 'crescere' (to increase or grow). Originally used for a military band or a group of armed men, the meaning shifted in the 1500s to refer to the group of people operating a ship.