sailor

noun

sail·​or ˈsā-lər 

1

a

: one that sails

especially : mariner

b(1)

: a member of a ship's crew

(2)

: seaman sense 2b

2

: a traveler by water

3

: a stiff straw hat with a low flat crown and straight circular brim

Synonyms of sailor

• mariner
• navigator
• seaman

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

Iran said the attack left one sailor dead and injured several others, and Tehran accused Kyiv of a hostile act. — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 27 July 2026

The Iranian Foreign Ministry accused Ukraine over the weekend of attacking an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea, saying one sailor was killed and another injured. — Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 27 July 2026

Many merchant sailors are now wondering if the profession has become too dangerous, because the Iran war is only the latest crisis to ensnare the shipping industry. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 27 July 2026

In Greek mythology, sirens are half-bird and half-woman creatures who lured sailors to their deaths. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 26 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

alteration of sailer

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing sailor

• sailor collar
• sailor's-choice
• sailor suit

Rhymes for sailor

• bailer
• bailor
• baler
• jailer
• jailor
• paler
• sailer
• scalar
• scaler
• tailor
• trailer
• whaler

Kids Definition

sailor

noun

sail·​or ˈsā-lər 

: a person who sails : seaman