Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

life preserver

noun

Definition of life preserver

  1. 1 :  a device (such as a life jacket or life buoy) designed to save a person from drowning by providing buoyancy in water

  2. 2 chiefly British :  blackjack 3

See life preserver defined for English-language learners

See life preserver defined for kids

People Are Reading

image386126722
Words That Come From the Dinner Table
video-title-words-of-the-year-1066
Words of the Year: 1066
ghost-being-disinvited-from-party
'Disinvite' or 'Uninvite'?
emoji-the-quiz
The Emoji Quiz

First Known Use of life preserver

1819

LIFE PRESERVER Defined for English Language Learners

life preserver

noun

Definition of life preserver for English Language Learners

  • : a floating device that is designed to save you from drowning

LIFE PRESERVER Defined for Kids

life preserver

noun

Definition of life preserver for Students

  1. :  a device (as a life jacket or life buoy) designed to save a person from drowning by keeping the person afloat

Learn More about life preserver

  1. See words that rhyme with life preserver Spanish Central: Translation of life preserver Nglish: Translation of life preserver for Spanish speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up life preserver? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

crucible

play

a severe test

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. non sequitur “It does not follow”

  2. admiral's mast A massive search ends with an 'admiral's mast'.

  3. calumny 'An untrue statement that is made to damage someone's reputation'

  4. kakistocracy Frustrated Twitter users have been searching for this word.

  5. bona fide Made in good faith

SEE ALL

BROWSE DICTIONARY

life preserver

Test Your Vocabulary

The Emoji Quiz

  • emoji-the-quiz
  • What phase of the moon is this: 🌖 ?
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

TAKE THE QUIZ
SCRABBLE® Sprint

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

image386126722
Words and Phrases That Come from the Dinner Table

Fill your plate with these surprising food words

ghost-being-disinvited-from-party
'Disinvite' or 'Uninvite'?

A disinvited guest is an uninvited problem

alt-596f730ceb5ae
Words We're Watching: 'Scoby'

Kombucha lovers unite.

alt-596e1a928254c
Words We're Watching: 'Fidget Spinner'

Don't fight the fad

Ask the Editors

video-title-words-of-the-year-1066
Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

payday
How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Don't get us started on 'bimonthly'

video-irregardless-grammar-peeve-blend-of-the-synonyms-irrespective-and-regardless
Irregardless

It is in fact a real word (but that doesn't mean you should use it).

video-moose-goose-weird-plurals
Weird Plurals

One goose, two geese. One moose, two... moose. What's up with that?

Word Games

emoji-the-quiz
The Emoji Quiz

Think you’re an emoji 👓 expert? Let’s see 🤔

Take the quiz
image941935269
A Game of Thrones Word Quiz

In the Game of Thrones quiz, you learn some new vocabulary. (It’s quite safe, really. You will not die.)

Take the quiz
Name That Thing
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

Take the quiz
SCRABBLE® Sprint
SCRABBLE® Sprint

SCRABBLE® fans, sharpen your skills!

Play the game