slasher

American  

[slash-er] / ˈslæʃ ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that slashes. slash.

2. a person who criminally attacks others with a knife, razor, or the like.

3. a horror film depicting such a criminal and featuring gory special effects.

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slasher British  

/ ˈslæʃə /

noun

1. a person or thing that slashes

2. a wooden-handled cutting tool or tractor-drawn machine used for cutting scrub or undergrowth in the bush

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Etymology

Origin of slasher

First recorded in 1550–60; slash ¹ + -er ¹

Example Sentences

"Scream 7," the latest installment in the 30-year-old slasher series featuring yet another Ghostface killer, held strong in second place at $17.3 million in the United States and Canada, according to Exhibitor Relations.

From Barron's • Mar. 8, 2026

The slasher movie hadn’t been around long before a shaggy-haired, 30-year-old film-school dropout named John Carpenter came along and perfected it, in 1978, with “Halloween.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 29, 2025

When the Wes Craven-directed film was released in 1996, it became the highest-grossing slasher to date, and studios leaped to read more of Williamson’s writing.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2025

Funneled into the framework of a prom slasher, the bungling of "Fear Street: Prom Queen" feels downright pernicious.

From Salon • May 24, 2025

My grandmother's identity crisis is fascinating and frightening at the same time, like a slasher movie you can't stop watching.

From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins