noun
steerage
noun
1
Historically, the cheapest section of a passenger ship, with shared, basic accommodation rather than private cabins.
"Many immigrants crossed the Atlantic in steerage to save money."
2
The act or skill of steering a vessel, or how well a ship responds to its helm.
"The tugboat needed enough speed to maintain steerage in the strong current."
How to Use Steerage
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the skill of guiding a ship, or (more commonly now) the bargain-basement deck where poorer passengers once travelled.
Word Forms
steerages plural
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Etymology
From "steer" plus the suffix "-age," originally meaning simply "the act of steering," later extended to the cramped lower decks where the ship's steering gear was once located.