sailor

[ sey-ler ]

noun

1. a person whose occupation is sailing or navigation; mariner.

   Synonyms: seafarer

   Antonyms: landlubber

2. a seaman below the rank of officer.
3. a naval enlistee.
4. a person adept at sailing, especially with reference to freedom from seasickness:

   He was such a bad sailor that he always traveled to Europe by plane.

5. a flat-brimmed straw hat with a low, flat crown.

sailor

/ ˈseɪlə /

noun

1. any member of a ship's crew, esp one below the rank of officer
2. a person who sails, esp with reference to the likelihood of his becoming seasick

   a good sailor

3. short for sailor hat sailor suit

Derived Forms

• ˈsailorly, adjective

Other Words From

• sailor·like adjective
• sailor·ly adjective
• non·sailor noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sailor¹

First recorded in 1540–50; earlier sailer; sail, -or ²

Synonym Study

Sailor, mariner, salt, seaman, tar are terms for a person who leads a seafaring life. A sailor or seaman is one whose occupation is on board a ship at sea, especially a member of a ship's crew below the rank of petty officer: a sailor before the mast; an able-bodied seaman. Mariner is a term now found only in certain technical expressions: master mariner (captain in merchant service); mariner's compass (ordinary compass as used on ships); formerly used much as “sailor” or “seafaring man,” now the word seems elevated or quaint: Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Salt and tar are informal terms for old and experienced sailors: an old salt; a jolly tar.

Example Sentences

Olympic sailor Sir Ben Ainslie and his wife Georgie have revealed in an interview with the Daily Telegraph that they used a surrogate to have their second child.

From BBC

It is a story that begins in Newport in 1909 when seamstress Mabel Phillips married Max Wulff, a German sailor.

From BBC

On this week's singles chart, Gigi Perez scored the number one spot with Sailor Song, ending the nine-week reign of Sabrina Carpenter's hit Taste.

From BBC

It's been suggested a nurse and an injured sailor are among our spooks.

From BBC

Greenberg, who wears a sailor hat and serves as the dynamic host, tells the audience that “silence is not golden” and encourages them to interact with the participants.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• boater
• cadet
• diver
• marine
• pilot