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

Other Word Forms

• sailorlike adjective
• sailorly adjective
• nonsailor 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

Some items, including coffee - "the one thing that propels a sailor" - must be rationed.

From BBC

Later in his career, that notion held true for his performance as Our Man, a tormented sailor adrift at sea in “All is Lost.”

From Los Angeles Times

The sailor had worked as a bricklayer to fund his once-in-a-lifetime solo trip, which he hoped would take him to countries including Brazil.

From BBC

The Irish Naval Service has eight ships but can usually put just two to sea because of a shortage of sailors.

From BBC

The US military has moved to bolster its forces in the southern Caribbean, including through the deployment of additional naval vessels and thousands of marines and sailors to stem the flow of drugs.

From BBC

Related Words

• boater 
• cadet 
• diver 
• marine 
• pilot