sailor

[sey-ler] /ˈseɪ lər/

noun

a person whose occupation is sailing or navigation; mariner.

a seaman below the rank of officer.

a naval enlistee.

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.

a flat-brimmed straw hat with a low, flat crown.

Origin

1540-50; earlier sailer; see sail, -or²

Related forms

sailorlike, adjective

sailorly, adjective

nonsailor, noun

Can be confused

sailer, sailor (see synonym study at the current entry)

Synonyms

1. seafarer. 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.

Antonyms

1. landlubber.

Examples from the web for sailor

As any good sailor knows, the winds encountered play a significant role in how a ship handles at sea.
My own experience was as a sailor in a small open boat at sea.
Ask any sailor and he or she will tell you that a bad day of sailing beats a good day of doing almost anything else.
My husband received his college degree and then enlisted as a sailor.
His model really helped him out with that sailor outfit idea during the fitting.
From the point of view of the sailor who dropped the rock, the rock falls straight down.
Monkey, in sailor language, is the vessel which contains the full allowance of grog.
The sailor would descend to the bottom of the ship to the storeroom to get the beer, often sampling a bit on his way back up.
Her skirt was up almost to her knees and she wore a sailor hat.
It doesn't make sense even to the experienced sailor, but if you think it only myth, you are a fool.

British Dictionary definitions for sailor

sailor

/ˈseɪlə/

noun

any member of a ship's crew, esp one below the rank of officer

a person who sails, esp with reference to the likelihood of his becoming seasick: a good sailor

short for sailor hat, sailor suit

Derived Forms

sailorly, adjective

Word Origin and History for sailor

c.1400, sailer, agent noun from sail (v.). Spelling with -o- arose 16c., probably by influence of tailor, etc., and to distinguish the meaning "seaman, mariner" from "thing that sails." It replaced much older seaman and mariner (q.q.v.). Old English also had merefara "sailor." Applied as an adjective from 1870s to clothing styles and items based on a sailor's characteristic attire.