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natator

natator

9.9
A person who swims, often for sport or exercise
  • noun
  • /ˈneɪtəˌtɔr/
  • Archaic
translation icon : nadador
  • As a competitive natator, she trains every morning before work.

Examples

  • The expert natator crossed the channel in record time.

  • She is a skilled natator who competes internationally.

  • Marine biologists observed the young natator adapting quickly to the ocean currents.

  • The natator glided gracefully through the water.

  • As a competitive natator, she trains every morning before work.

  • The expert natator crossed the channel in record time.

  • She is a skilled natator who competes internationally.

Synonyms

swimmer
vsnatator
125 1.0

A person who swims for sport, fun, or exercise

is a more formal or technical term for the same person
bather
vsnatator
4 1.7

A person who is swimming or bathing in water, for example at a beach

emphasizes moving through water rather than staying to bathe or wash
snorkeler
vsnatator
  • US
1 2.6

A person who swims near the water surface using a snorkel to watch fish

describes swimming as movement through water rather than surface observation
backstroker
vsnatator
1 4.9

A person who swims on their back in races

applies to any swimmer regardless of the stroke used
freestyler
vsnatator
  • Specialized
1 3.6

A swimmer who races using the front crawl stroke

is the broad term for any person who swims, not a specialist
breaststroker
vsnatator
1 4.2

A person who swims on their chest using arm pulls and a leg kick with both legs moving together

covers all people who swim, not only those using that stroke
skin-diver
vsnatator
1 5.0

A person who swims underwater with a mask and fins for fun or sport

means a person who swims without necessarily using diving equipment
butterflyer
vsnatator
  • Jargon
5.2

A person who swims the butterfly stroke in races

refers generally to anyone who swims, not tied to one stroke

How Skilled

elite
241 4.5
natator
  • Archaic
9.9
novice
46 3.4

Surface Forms

natator singular
natators plural

Etymology

Natator comes from the Latin verb natare, which means 'to swim', so a natator is simply a 'swimmer', a person who moves through water by swimming.