What does the cryptic crossword clue "Sailor's fate depending on ship's officer (7)" mean?

The definition is "officer". The wordplay uses a charade (building blocks). MATE (synonym="an officer on a merchant ship reporting to the master") + LOT (synonym="one’s fate/destiny") = MATELOT; definition: "Sailor's" The answer is MATELOT.

Sailor's fate depending on ship's officer (7)

Guardian Cryptic #29140 | 2 Down | 2023-08-04 flower

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