disembark
diss-im-BAHRK
/ˌdɪsɪmˈbɑːrk/
To leave a ship, aircraft, or other vehicle after a journey.
A formal, precise term used by flight crews and travel officials rather than casual everyday conversation.
The story behind the word. From French 'desbarquer', combining 'des-' (removal) with 'barque' (small boat). Originally meant stepping off a boat onto dry land.
Word relationships
- deplane: Deplane specifically refers to airplanes, while disembark applies to planes, ships, and trains.
- board: Board means getting onto a vehicle.
Commonly confused with
- deplane: Deplane is aviation-specific American English; disembark is international and works for ships and trains too.
Word family
- disembarkation (noun): The process of leaving a ship or aircraft.
Collocations
- disembark the aircraft
- disembark safely
- permission to disembark
- disembarking passengers
Example sentences
- "Please remain seated until the aircraft has come to a complete stop and the captain permits passengers to disembark." Inflight announcement
- "Upon disembarking, follow the signs directly toward the immigration control desks." Arrival procedure
Memory hook
Dis-embark = undoing your trip on the bark/boat/airplane. Unload from the boat or plane.
When not to use
Avoid in casual talk with friends ('get off the plane' is preferred in informal speech).
Fun facts
- Aviation regulators strictly mandate that a Boeing 747 must be able to disembark all passengers within 90 seconds in an emergency.
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