Standard Lemma guide

lifesaver

noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈlaɪfˌseɪvə/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ˈlaɪfˌseɪvəɹ/
  • CMU ARPABET: L AY1 F S EY2 V ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Someone or something that saves lives.

A lifeguard or other rescuer.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • My dad loves his job as a surf lifesaver.
  • Paramedics are not just ordinary workers but lifesavers with a very important job.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Someone or something that saves lives.

A life buoy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • They threw him a lifesaver and then hauled him up onto the boat.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: life preserver, life ring

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Someone or something that saves lives.

Any lifesaving tool or item of supplies.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • When I got lost in the woods, my Swiss Army knife was a lifesaver.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Someone or something that is very useful or helpful.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • Thank you so much for fixing my car; you're a real lifesaver!
  • This shop is a lifesaver on a hot day when you're craving a cold drink.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: boon, godsend

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

a life preserver in the form of a ring of buoyant material

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: life buoy, life belt, life ring

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: life preserver, preserver, flotation device

Narrower terms: breeches buoy

6

noun

Meaning 6

an attendant employed at a beach or pool to protect swimmers from accidents

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: lifeguard

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: attendant, attender, tender

History

Etymology

From life + saver.

Across languages

Translations

27 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 救生員 /救生员 (jiùshēngyuán) — that saves lives
  • Chinese Mandarin: 救命者 (jiùmìngzhě) — that saves lives
  • Finnish: hengenpelastaja — that saves lives
  • French: secouriste — that saves lives
  • French: sauveteur — that saves lives
  • German: Lebensretter — that saves lives
  • Japanese: ライフセーバー (raifusēbā) — that saves lives
  • Māori: manapou — that saves lives
  • Russian: спаса́тель (spasátelʹ) — that saves lives
  • Russian: спаса́тельница (spasátelʹnica) — that saves lives
  • Russian: спаси́тель (spasítelʹ) — that saves lives
  • Russian: спаси́тельница (spasítelʹnica) — that saves lives
  • Slovak: záchranár — that saves lives
  • Slovak: záchranárka — that saves lives
  • Telugu: ప్రాణదాత (prāṇadāta) — that saves lives
  • Chinese Mandarin: 救星 (jiùxīng) — that is useful
  • Chinese Mandarin: 救命稻草 (jiùmìng dàocǎo) — that is useful
  • Chinese Mandarin: 救命草 (jiùmìngcǎo) — that is useful
  • Finnish: suuri apu — that is useful
  • Finnish: pelastaja — that is useful
  • Finnish: pelastus — that is useful
  • German: Segen — that is useful
  • German: Rettungsanker — that is useful
  • German: rettender Anker — that is useful
  • Japanese: 天与 (ten'yo) — that is useful
  • Russian: я́корь спасе́ния (jákorʹ spasénija) — that is useful
  • Russian: па́лочка-выруча́лочка (páločka-vyručáločka) — that is useful