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caller

1
[ kaw-ler ]
/ ˈkɔ lər /
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noun
a person or thing that calls.
a person who makes a short visit.
Dance. a person who directs the movements of dancers, as at a hoedown or square dance, by calling out the successive figures as the music plays.
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Origin of caller

1
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English. See call, -er1

synonym study for caller

2. See visitor.

Other definitions for caller (2 of 2)

caller2
[ kal-er, kah-ler ]
/ ˈkæl ər, ˈkɑ lər /

adjective Scot. and North England.
(of fruit, fish, vegetables, etc.) fresh; recently picked or caught.

Origin of caller

2
1325–75; Middle English, north. variant of calver fresh, alive (said of fish) < ?
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT CALLER

What is a basic definition of caller?

A caller is a person who calls, a person who makes a short visit, or a person who shouts out directions.

By far, the most common use of caller is in the sense of a person who calls someone, especially using a phone. In the past, a person would hear from callers using wired telephones but today cell phones and smartphones are much more common.

  • Real-life examples: Radio shows and podcasts might take questions from callers. A service known as caller ID identifies on a screen who is calling so you can avoid answering unwanted calls (be sure to answer when it’s your mom!). A dog will often run toward a caller using its name.
  • Used in a sentence: My favorite podcast always ends with a Q&A session with callers.

Less commonly, caller means a guest or a person who makes a short visit. This usage was more common before the widespread use of telephones, but it is still sometimes used to refer to formal visits. Sometimes, caller specifically meant that the person was a date or a romantic partner.

  • Used in a sentence: My house was a mess because I didn’t expect so many callers to come over today.

Caller can also mean a person whose job is to shout directions or instructions, such as a person directing a square dance or a person calling out numbers in a game of bingo.

  • Used in a sentence: My heart was racing as I waited for the caller to shout “B5,” the last number I needed to win.

Where does caller come from?

The first records of caller come from around 1400. It comes from late Middle English and is a noun formed from the verb sense of the word call.

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What are some other forms related to caller?

What are some synonyms for caller?

What are some words that share a root or word element with caller

What are some words that often get used in discussing caller?

What are some words caller may be commonly confused with?

How is caller used in real life?

Caller is a common word that most often means a person who is using a phone to call someone.

Try using caller!

Is caller used correctly in the following sentence?

I turn my phone off at night so my sleep isn’t interrupted by latenight callers.

How to use caller in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for caller (1 of 2)

caller1
/ (ˈkɔːlə) /

noun
a person or thing that calls, esp a person who makes a brief visit
Australian a racing commentator

British Dictionary definitions for caller (2 of 2)

caller2
/ (ˈkælə); (Scottish ˈkælər, ˈkɒlər) /

adjective Scot
(of food, esp fish) fresh
coola caller breeze

Word Origin for caller

C14: perhaps a Scottish variant of calver to prepare fresh salmon or trout in a certain way; perhaps from Old English calwer curds, from a fancied resemblance with the flaked flesh of the fish
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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