noun

• 1A person whose job it is to work as a member of the crew of a commercial or naval ship or boat, especially one who is below the rank of officer.

  ‘Hawaii was an important stopping point for sailors to restock provisions’

  More example sentences

  • ‘The sailors on the patrol boat thought I was going to fall, so grabbed me by my clothes.’
  • ‘As dawn broke, with the master's consent, sailors from the USS Bunker Hill boarded the vessel.’
  • ‘He looked ahead and a saw a large crowd of sailors gathering around a docked ship.’
  • ‘Ships were dressed with flags and sailors climbed the rigging or stood on decks, caps in hand, to cheer the Queen.’
  • ‘All the boats are captained by professional sailors but the rest of the crew are amateurs.’

  Synonyms

  seaman, seafarer, seafaring man, mariner

  View synonyms

  1. 1.1usually with adjective or noun modifier A person who goes sailing as a sport or recreation.
     ‘she was a keen sailor’
     More example sentences

     • ‘She had wide interests, was a keen dinghy sailor and took an active part in youth welfare.’
     • ‘Teddy had always been a keen and intrepid sailor, and after retiring he went to live in St Mawes where he had first learned to sail as a boy.’
     • ‘He was a member of the sailing club and stalwart sailor and racer who lost his life at sea last year.’
     • ‘I'd picked up that he was an expert sailor of dinghies and had twice won something called the Prince of Wales Cup.’
     • ‘She is also a keen sailor, who is on track for her yacht master's certificate.’
  2. 1.2a good/bad sailorA person who rarely (or often) becomes sick at sea in rough weather.
     ‘Hamnavoe is a great ship, I'm not a good sailor, but I have never been sick on it yet even in rough weather, which was not the case with the Ola.’
     More example sentences

     • ‘I'm not a good sailor and am bringing along a good supply of patches, dramamine, and ginger pills; sounds like they'll be essential since we'll embark from Ushuaia. Do you have any other suggestions for minimizing seasickness?’