aquanaut

/ˈækwəˌnɔt/

Other forms: aquanauts

An aquanaut is someone who explores the underwater world in some way. They might go diving with specialized equipment, or live for a short time in underwater domes to do research.

The word aqua means "water," and the word naut means "sailor," as in nautical. You might be thinking "Hey, aren't sailors already associated with water?" and that's true. Aquanaut was actually coined to be similar to astronaut, which literally means "star-sailor." So an aquanaut is someone who explores or temporarily lives and works underwater, similar to how astronauts explore or temporarily live and work in space.

Definitions of aquanaut

1. noun

   an underwater swimmer equipped with a face mask and foot fins and either a snorkel or an air cylinder
   synonyms: skin-diver

   type of:

   bather, natator, swimmer

   a person who travels through the water by swimming
2. noun

   a skilled worker who can live in underwater installations and participate in scientific research
   synonyms: oceanaut

   type of:

   skilled worker, skilled workman, trained worker

   a worker who has acquired special skills