Dictionary

lifesaver en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈlaɪfˌseɪvəɹ/ (General-American)
• /ˈlaɪfˌseɪvə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From life + saver.

Meanings

1. Someone or something that saves lives. ▸ A lifeguard or other rescuer.
   • Paramedics are not just ordinary workers but lifesavers with a very important job.
   • My dad loves his job as a surf lifesaver.
2. Someone or something that saves lives. ▸ A life buoy.
   • They threw him a lifesaver and then hauled him up onto the boat.
   • Ms Rybicki began filming just as a second IRB drove out to the rogue boat, collecting the first lifesaver into the boat en route. 2023 October 2, Emily Bissland, “Warrnambool beach evacuated as surf lifesaver is 'catapulted' from rogue inflatable rescue boat”, in Australian Broadcasting Corporation:
3. Someone or something that saves lives. ▸ Any lifesaving tool or item of supplies.
   • Dexamethasone hailed as lifesaver for up to a million Covid patients worldwide [title] 2021 March 23, Natalie Grover, Denis Campbell, “Dexamethasone hailed as lifesaver for up to a million Covid patients worldwide”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
   • When I got lost in the woods, my Swiss Army knife was a lifesaver.
4. (figuratively) Someone or something that is very useful or helpful.
   • This shop is a lifesaver on a hot day when you're craving a cold drink.
   • Both Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have been lifesavers during the pandemic. Having both is ideal. 2021 August 26, Rachel Obordo, “‘Netflix is a lifesaver!’ The over-65s embracing the streaming boom”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
   • Thank you so much for fixing my car; you're a real lifesaver!

Forms

Relateds

save someone's life · throw someone a rope

Synonyms

boon · life preserver · godsend · life ring

Translations (27)

de Segen (that is useful) · cmn 救命稻草 (that is useful) · fi hengenpelastaja (that saves lives) · fr sauveteur (that saves lives) · de Lebensretter (that saves lives) · ru спаса́тель (that saves lives) · fr secouriste (that saves lives) · fi pelastus (that is useful) · cmn 救生員 /救生员 (that saves lives) · mi manapou (that saves lives) · te ప్రాణదాత (that saves lives) · cmn 救命者 (that saves lives) · fi suuri apu (that is useful) · cmn 救命草 (that is useful) · ru спаси́тельница (that saves lives) · de rettender Anker (that is useful) · ja 天与 (that is useful) · sk záchranárka (that saves lives) · ru я́корь спасе́ния (that is useful) · de Rettungsanker (that is useful) · cmn 救星 (that is useful) · ru спаса́тельница (that saves lives) · fi pelastaja (that is useful) · ru па́лочка-выруча́лочка (that is useful) · ru спаси́тель (that saves lives) · ja ライフセーバー (that saves lives) · sk záchranár (that saves lives)