savior
Americannoun
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a person who saves, rescues, or delivers.
the savior of the country.
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(initial capital letter) a title of God, especially of Christ.
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(initial capital letter) an epithet of Artemis.
Spelling
See -or 1.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of savior
1250–1300; Middle English saveour, sauveur < Old French sauvëour < Late Latin salvātor, equivalent to Latin salvā ( re ) to save 1 + -tor -tor
Explanation
A savior is somebody who saves you. Say you're hanging by your fingernails from the ledge of a burning building. When the firefighter appears to carry you to safety, it would be appropriate to cry, "My savior has arrived!" If you rescue the rarely seen white-fanged mudslide chameleon from extinction, wildlife enthusiasts would no doubt call you the creature's savior. Savior, with a capital S, is one of the names Christians use for Jesus, Savior of the World, Lord and Savior, the one who saves souls. As you've no doubt noticed, the word savior is connected to the word save, — both words come from the Latin salvare, which means simply "to save."
Vocabulary lists containing savior
Christmas Carol Vocab: A Lyrical Lexicon
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Words for Carolers
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Vocabulary Heard at the 2016 Democratic National Convention
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Although called a “Pietà,” it was not a depiction of Christ mourned by his intimates, but rather a “Man of Sorrows”—the dead Savior, half-length, with youthful angels—a timeless image designed for contemplation and meditation.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026
“The state of war affects everything, including the mood. The real celebration of Christmas will be after the victory, but as the Savior was born, so will be our victory,” she said.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 25, 2023
It also appears to have some runic letters, which the team speculated might stand for “Christ the Savior conquers.”
From Slate • Nov. 11, 2023
In the since-deleted piece entitled FTX's SBF Has a Savior Complex, and Maybe You Should Too, author Adam Fisher described Bankman-Fried's efforts to maximise his wealth in order to maximise his impact on the world.
From BBC • Nov. 3, 2023
Joffrey had to step gingerly around it as he descended to embrace his grandfather and proclaim him Savior of the City.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
