savior

Or sav·iour

[seyv-yer]

noun

1. a person who saves, rescues, or delivers.

   the savior of the country.

2. (initial capital letter),  a title of God, especially of Christ.

3. (initial capital letter),  an epithet of Artemis.

Spelling Note

See -or ¹.

Other Word Forms

• saviorhood noun
• saviorship noun
• undersavior noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of savior¹

1250–1300; Middle English saveour, sauveur < Old French sauvëour < Late Latin salvātor, equivalent to Latin salvā ( re ) to save ¹ + -tor -tor

Example Sentences

“But Jesus stresses the importance of belief. To proclaim that Jesus is our lord and savior is an act of faith that everyone has to take on their own.”

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Meanwhile, the petulant Jesus starts feeling his powers and is suddenly called a savior by some, a malevolent sorcerer by others.

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“That it was a ‘savior’ diagnosis for too many kids whose parents wanted a medical reason to drug their children, or to explain their kids’ bad behavior.”

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With the passage of centuries, the Eurocentric accounts that depicted Cortés as a heroic “white savior” and Moctezuma as a cowardly heathen have been eclipsed.

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Learning about all the behind-the-scenes machinations that brought Sasaki from an injured, defeated rookie to the postseason MVP and Dodgers’ season savior was fascinating and gives me a deeper appreciation for the struggles he faces.

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Related Words

• defender 
• guardian angel 
• hero 
• liberator 
• protector 
• salvation