slasher

American  

[slash-er] / ˈslæʃ ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that slashes.

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

See Examples For:

slasher

Kris explains that she knows the studio hired her solely because she’s queer, as only a queer person could revamp an outdated, transphobic slasher franchise without Big Cancel Culture piping in.

From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2026

Instead, consider Jane Schoenbrun’s Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, which riffs on slasher films like Sleepaway Camp and Friday the 13th.

From Slate ● Aug. 7, 2026

Director/co-writer David Winters’ low-budget slasher movie was shot guerrilla-style — initially without permits — across the 1981 festival, using its real-time commotion, glitz and key locales as a vivid backdrop.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2026

But like all slasher movies, the killer isn’t dead yet.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 22, 2026

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