slayer

American  

[sley-er] / ˈsleɪ ər /

noun

1. a person who kills another person or creature, usually violently, or who destroys something.

   In the movie, the prince is a dragon slayer on a mission to kill the dragon responsible for corrupting the heart of the king.

   In Hindu legend, the goddess Kalaratri is worshiped as the slayer of darkness and ignorance.

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Etymology

Origin of slayer

slay ( def. ) + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Dr. Ilko argues that Guglielmo's reputation as a dragon slayer came from his role in cleansing the environment and restoring the valley's productivity.

From Science Daily • Feb. 2, 2026

That means what Nick Reiner might stand to inherit, if the slayer rule were to prove irrelevant in this case, is unknown.

From Salon • Dec. 25, 2025

These rules, known as slayer rules, have a long history in the United States.

From Salon • Dec. 25, 2025

She developed a reputation as a giant slayer by outcompeting market-leader Intel a decade ago to take the lead in producing central processing units, or CPUs, for personal computers and data centers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025

Inside my head, I heard a voice, slithering into one ear and coiling around my brain: I am the spirit of Delphi, speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python.

From "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan