Crew First Meant Reinforcements
A crew is a group working together. The word first named a body of soldiers sent to strengthen a force.
A crew is a group of people working together, especially on a ship or aircraft. The word comes from Old French *creue*, an increase or growth, from *croistre*, to grow — it first meant reinforcements, a body of soldiers added to a force. The sense of growth is why *crew* and *accrue* share a root. A *crew cut* was named for the close haircuts of American university rowing crews in the 1930s.
- A working group. *The ship's crew.*
- Reinforcements (archaic). *A crew of soldiers.*
- A film crew. *The camera crew.*
- Crew cut — a short haircut. *A crew cut.*
- Old French — *creue*, an increase. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | crew | A crew. |
| Plural | crews | Crews. |
| Verb | crew | Crewing. |
| Compound | crewman | A crewman. |
| Related | accrue | To accrue. |
- The crew boarded at dawn.Ship.
- A film crew of thirty.Production.
- It first meant reinforcements.Etymology.
The growing family
- Crew — an increase to a force
- Accrue — to grow by addition
- Increase — to grow larger
- Recruit — from the same root, a fresh growth of soldiers
- Crescent — the growing moon, from Latin *crescere*
Old French *creue*, an increase, from *croistre*, to grow, from Latin *crescere*.
Did crew always mean a ship's company?
No. It first meant reinforcements, a body of soldiers added to strengthen a force.
Where does crew cut come from?
From the short haircuts worn by American university rowing crews in the 1930s.