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slaver

[sley-ver] / ˈsleɪ vər /
VERB
drool
Synonyms
STRONG
dribble drivel fawn salivate slobber

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for slaver?
The word slaver has historically been used to refer to a person who participated in the enslavement of people, or, more specifically, to refer to a ship used to transport enslaved people. Many of the terms historically used in the context of slavery serve to justify or normalize the practice and are now often avoided and replaced with other terms that better reflect and emphasize the humanity of the people who were held captive and forced to labor. Notably, the term enslaved people is now widely used instead of slaves. In parallel with this change, the word enslaver is now often preferred over slaver because it emphasizes such a person’s active participation and complicity in the enslavement of people. Enslaver is also preferred over other once common terms, such as slave owner (which suggests that a person can actually be property) or master (which can imply that such a person has inherent power or authority that justifies their enslavement of people). Unrelated meaning A completely different and unrelated sense of slaver means the same thing as slobber or drool (all three of these words can be used as verbs or nouns). This sense of slaver is much older and derives from a word related to slobber. As a verb, it’s sometimes used figuratively to mean the same thing as fawn, as in Can you believe the way their fans slaver/fawn over those bands?

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A memorial to an 18th Century slaver has been removed from a church.

From BBC • May 19, 2023

The Portuguese monarchy also hired explorers such as Alvise Cadamosto, a Venetian slaver sent to scout the region of Senegambia.

From Textbooks • Dec. 14, 2022

This casting decision makes a clear point: Kind or not, a slaver is still a slaver.

From New York Times • May 30, 2022

“Is he looking for the whole truth here? The fact that he was a slaver and ran slaves up to the colonies? That’s what the historical documents say,” Hunt said.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 7, 2022

When the direwolf raised his head, his eyes glowed red and baleful, and water streamed down from his jaws like slaver.

From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.