spinner

American  

[spin-er] / ˈspɪn ər /

noun

• spinners
  plural

1. a person or thing that spins.

2. Angling. a lure, as a spoon bait, that revolves in the water in trolling and casting.

3. Also called spinner play.  Football. a play in which the player carrying the ball twirls about, to deceive the other team as to where the player intends to hit the line.

4. Aeronautics. a streamlined fairing over a propeller hub.

5. British Informal. nightjar.

6. Slang. a disc jockey.

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spinner British  

/ ˈspɪnə /

noun

1. a person or thing that spins

2. informal a spin doctor

3. cricket

   1. a ball that is bowled with a spinning motion

   2. a bowler who specializes in bowling such balls

4. a streamlined fairing that fits over and revolves with the hub of an aircraft propeller

5. a fishing lure with a fin or wing that revolves when drawn through the water

6. an angler's name for the mature adult form (imago) of various flies, especially the mayflies Compare dun 2

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• underspinner
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• spinners
  plural

Etymology

Origin of spinner

First recorded in 1175–1225, spinner is from the Middle English word spinnere. See spin, -er ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

spinner spinners

There will always be anglers who prefer a worm or an old-style spinner, topwater or crankbait.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

Against Somerset, whose XI also featured spinner Archie Vaughan, son of former England captain Michael, Flintoff was particularly destructive in hitting sixes over straight mid-wicket in a fashion reminiscent of his father.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

But Rockets' bowlers held their nerve late in the innings as Spirit lost five wickets for 42 balls, with spinner Calvin Harrison impressing again with 2-25.

From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026

But 18-year-old left-arm spinner Tilly Corteen-Coleman sent back the Australian batter for 52 to spark a dramatic collapse as the visitors lost five wickets in the space of just six runs and 14 balls.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

Some of the kids were playing with those spinner things.

From "Harbor Me" by Jacqueline Woodson

There is a reasonable argument to suggest Dawson's presence gave England too many spinners in their XI.

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

They played the spinners well, keeping control of the required rate.

From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026

This time around England were ruthless when they got themselves into a strong position, their spinners building dot-ball pressure and the lack of scoring opportunities scrambling the minds of the Kiwi batters.

From BBC ● May 25, 2026

Fidget spinners were wildly popular in early 2017 but were already over by that holiday season.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 28, 2026

He noted tools that disappeared, and that the enslaved sheep shearers and spinners who were only supposed to take small amounts of “dirty wool” for themselves were keeping large amounts.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis

Related Words

• gyroscope