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• player
  player

  noun

  a person or thing that plays.
• Player
  Player

  noun

  Gary, born 1935, South African golfer.

player

¹ American  

[play-er] / ˈpleɪ ər /

noun

• players
  plural

1. a person or thing that plays.

2. a person who takes part or is skilled in some game or sport.

3. a person who plays parts on the stage; an actor.

4. a performer on a musical instrument.

5. Informal. a participant, as in a conference or business deal.

6. a machine or piece of software that reproduces sound or images: a videodisc player;

   a record player;

   a videodisc player;

   a digital media player.

7. a gambler.

8. Slang. a person engaged in illicit or illegal activity, especially a pimp.

9. a mechanical device by which a musical instrument, as a player piano, is played automatically.

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Player ² American  

[play-er] / ˈpleɪ ər /

noun

1. Gary, born 1935, South African golfer.

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player ¹ British  

/ ˈpleɪə /

noun

1. a person who participates in or is skilled at some game or sport

2. a person who plays a game or sport professionally

3. a person who plays a musical instrument

4. an actor

5. informal a participant, esp a powerful one, in a particular field of activity

   a leading city player

6. See record player

7. the playing mechanism in a Pianola

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Player ² British  

/ ˈpleɪə /

noun

1. Gary (ˈɡærɪ). born 1935, South African golfer: winner of nine major championships (1959–78), including the British Open (1959, 1968, 1974)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• counterplayer
  noun
• nonplayer
  noun
• self-player
  noun
• superplayer
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• players
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of player

before 1000; Middle English pleyer, Old English plegere. See play, -er ¹

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Explanation

If you like to play anything at all, you’re a player. If you take part in a game or sport, you're a player. If you're a big flirt, you’re a player. Like the kazoo? You’re a kazoo player. Play on! Some players play cards or tennis, and others play roles in theater productions. You could also call a musician a player, like a piano player or a flute player. Vital or influential people (or groups) are sometimes described this way too: "The president called a meeting of all the biggest political players." And finally, there are inanimate players, like music or radio players, or an MP3 player.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

player Player players

For a player who hasn’t produced much since his selection as the No. 4 overall draft pick in 2024, it was an expensive price to pay.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026

Just three short months ago, we wondered whether Ohtani would win his fifth most valuable player award and his first Cy Young Award.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

Theo Walcott, replaced on 168 occasions, holds the record as the most subbed off player in Premier League history.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

When the doors finally opened, nearly every player was sitting in front of his locker, most still in uniform, waiting to explain what seemed to be inexplicable.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

A crushed popcorn box sailed across the room and hit the piano player on the shoulder.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

GB's Emily Kemp was the Most Valuable Player at the 2025 Euros and was invited to TMRW's first 'talent qualifier'

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

At the final game of the 6U tournament near Los Angeles, Andrea Solis fought back tears as her 6-year-old collected an award for Most Valuable Player.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

By the end of it, Maye had led the Patriots to a Super Bowl appearance and barely missed out on winning the league’s Most Valuable Player Award.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

Bruno Fernandes won the PFA and Football Writers' Player of the Year awards last season for an outstanding campaign when he scored nine goals and claimed a Premier League record 22 assists.

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026

Then I hit the flashing Player One button.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

“Western automakers are evolving into niche players of the future.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026

When coach JJ Redick announced his starters for the Lakers’ final preseason game Friday night, he was asked if those same players would start opening night Wednesday against the Golden State Warriors.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

Throughout Europe, the arrival of these Chinese brands is upending long-established players almost overnight.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026

After going 7-3 and breaking the school’s single-season touchdown passing record Croick once held, all of the team’s star players graduated.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

Normally, a simultaneous exhibition is given by one master who walks from board to board, competing against multiple players.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

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