Quick Definition
ναύκληρος, ου, ὁ n.m. a master of a ship
Strong's Definition
a captain
Derivation: from G3491 (ναῦς) and G2819 (κλῆρος) ("clerk");
KJV Usage: owner of a ship
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ναύ-κληρος, -ov, 6, (ναῦς and κλῆρος), fr. Hdt. [and Soph.] down, a ship-owner, ship-master, i. e. one who hires out his vessel, or a portion of it, for purposes of transportation: Acts xxvii. 11.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ναύκληρος nauklēros 1x
the master or owner of a ship, Acts 27:11*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
* ναύ-κληρος, -ου, ὁ
(< ναῦς, κλῆρος),
a shipowner, shipmaster: Ac 27:11.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ναύκληρος. This word should be translated ‘‘ captain” rather than “owner” (AV, RV) in its only occurrence in the NT, Ac ναὺς 4 2711, for the vessel belonged to the Alexandrian fleet in the Imperial service: see Ramsay Paz/, p. 324. In this connexion it is interesting to note that, judging from two vavkAnpos-receipts P Lille I. 22, 23 (both B.c. 221), the Ptolemies were themselves ship-owners and hired out their vessels for corn-transport. The ναύκληρος in both the above cases is described also as μισθωτής or “‘lessee,” though in themselves the two functions were distinct: ‘“‘die Pacht eines Schiffes fiir unbestimmte Zwecke schafit einen μισθωτής, die Ubernahme eines Staatstransportes einen ναύκληρος ” (Rostowzew, d7chiv v. p. 298). That private persons could also be ship-owners is shown by another receipt P Lille I. 21 (B.c. 221), where a certain Heracleides acts as ναύκληρος for a transport belonging to Heraclitus—® ‘HpakdelSys ναύκληρος τῆς Ἡρακλείτου προσαγογεῖτος (/. προσαγωγίδος) : see further Wilcken, d7chzv v. p. 226. Other exx. of the term are P Hib I. 395 (B.c. 265) where, as in Ac /.c., Horus is described as ναύκληρος καὶ κυβερνητής of a State barge (εἰς κοντω[τὸ]ν βασιλικόν) conveying corn, and as ναύκληρος is instructed to write a receipt and seal a sample of his freight—otpBorov [δὴὲ ὑμῖν γραψάσθω.. . [κ]αὶ δεῖγμα σφραγισάσίθ]ω, 26. 95? (B.C. 251) ὁμολογεῖ [Διονύσιος] v[av]kAnpos ἐμ[β]εβίλῆσθαι] . . . κριθ[ῶ]ν (ἀρτάβας) Aw, “Dionysius, captain, acknowledges that he has embarked 4800 artabae of barley” (Edd.), P Oxy I. 63% (ii/iii a.p.) Tov ἀναδιδόντος σοι τὸ ἐπιστόλιόν μου ναυκλήρου ITaveμονῶτος, ‘‘the bearer of this letter is the captain Panemouds” (Edd.), and the Delian inscr. OG7S 344 (i/B.c.) ot karaπλέοντες εἰς Βιθυνίαν ἔμποροι καὶ ναύκληροι, where the ἔμποροι, ‘‘ private-owners,” are distinguished from the ναύkAnpot, ‘‘ captains” or ‘‘sailing-masters.”” For the difference between ναύκληρος and πιστικός see the note on P Lond IV. 13413* (A.D. 709). Ναυκλήριον, ‘ vessel,’’ is found in P Oxy I. 8772 (a.p. 342).
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ναύκληρος (nauklēros) — captain. ναύκληρ-ος, ὁ, shipowner and merchant (opposed to ἔμπορος, which see), [Refs 5th c.BC+]
2. skipper, sailing-master, [NT+2nd c.BC+]
3. generally, captain, commander, [Refs 4th c.BC+]: as adjective, ν. πλάτη [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ν. χείρ the master's hand, of a charioteer, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II. at Athens, one who rented and sub-let tenement-houses, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.2. ={ναύκραρος}, [Refs]; compare ναύκλαρος.