sailor

noun

sail·​or ˈsā-lər How to pronounce sailor (audio)
Synonyms of sailornext
1
a
: one that sails
especially : mariner
b(1)
: a member of a ship's crew
2
: a traveler by water
3
: a stiff straw hat with a low flat crown and straight circular brim

Examples of sailor in a Sentence

He worked as a sailor on a cargo ship. the sailors were glad to be arriving in port after their long voyage
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In 2000, his men bombed the USS Cole in Yemen, killing 17 American sailors. Peter Bergen, CNN Money, 18 Dec. 2025 During the festive event, the King and Queen met sailors from the HMS Prince of Wales, plus their partners and families. Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 18 Dec. 2025 If Ellison was once bitten, twice shy, what keeps a sailor like Haynes coming back for more? Andrew Rice, New York Times, 17 Dec. 2025 O’Kane was one of nine survivors, all picked up by Japanese sailors, and his experience as a prisoner of war was harrowing. Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sailor

Word History

Etymology

alteration of sailer

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of sailor was in 1577

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sailor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sailor. Accessed 23 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

sailor

noun
sail·​or ˈsā-lər How to pronounce sailor (audio)
: a person who sails : seaman

More from Merriam-Webster on sailor

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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