noun
- a sailor who tends to donkey engines (steam-powered auxiliary engines) on a ship
Usage: nautical; chiefly historical
Examples
- The donkeyman was responsible for maintaining the ship's auxiliary steam engine.
- On cargo vessels, the donkeyman worked in the engine room alongside the chief engineer.
- The donkeyman's duties included stoking the boiler and operating the winches.
- Modern container ships no longer require a donkeyman since hydraulic systems have replaced steam engines.