noun, masculine/mat.lo/plural: matelots
matelot is masculine in French.
sailor (male), seaman
From Middle French matelot (“sailor”), from Old French matenot (“sailor, bunkmate”), most likely from Middle Dutch mattenoot (“bunk fellow”), corresponding to modern mat (“mat, rug, hammock”) + genoot (“companion”) or less likely Old Norse mǫtunautr (“food companion”) (from matr (“food”) + nautr (“companion”) << Proto-Germanic *ganautaz).