crew
UK[kruː]US[kruː]
n
A group of people who work together, especially on a ship, aircraft, or train.
n
The group of people who operate a ship or aircraft, excluding the officers or passengers.
n
A group of people with a shared, often informal, identity or purpose.
Etymology
The modern meaning of 'crew' as a team or working group evolved from a 15th-century nautical term. It originated from the Middle French 'creue', signifying "a reinforcement or increase" of soldiers or sailors sent to a ship. This traces back to the Latin verb 'crescere', meaning "to grow or arise." The semantic journey moved from the concept of "a group that has been increased or recruited" to the specific, organized team operating a vessel, and later broadened to any coordinated group working together.
Analysis
The word 'crew' is a simplex word. It is a loanword from Middle French 'creue', meaning "an increase, reinforcement", which itself came from Old French 'creistre' (to grow), from Latin 'crescere' (to grow, arise).
Examples
The film crew worked through the night to finish the scene.
The airline requires all cabin crew to be trained in emergency procedures.
He met up with his old crew from college.