This noun (from κυβερνάω, 'to steer') refers to the pilot or helmsman of a ship—the one responsible for steering and navigation. In Acts 27:11, the Roman centurion was 'persuaded by the pilot (κυβερνήτῃ) and the ship owner' more than by Paul's warning, leading to the disastrous voyage toward shipwreck. In Revelation 18:17, 'every ship's captain (κυβερνήτης)' and seafaring person mourns Babylon's fall, as maritime trade ceases. The term was also used metaphorically for leaders or governors (those who 'steer' the state), but the NT uses are literal references to ship navigation.