caller

¹

[kaw-ler]

noun

1. a person or thing that calls.

2. a person who makes a short visit.

3. 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.

caller

²

[kal-er, kah-ler]

adjective

Scot. and North England.

1. (of fruit, fish, vegetables, etc.) fresh; recently picked or caught.

2. refreshing.

caller

¹

/ ˈkɔːlə /

noun

1. a person or thing that calls, esp a person who makes a brief visit

2. a racing commentator

caller

²

/ ˈkɒlər, ˈkælə, ˈkælər /

adjective

1. (of food, esp fish) fresh

2. cool

   a caller breeze

Word History and Origins

Origin of caller¹

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

Origin of caller²

1325–75; Middle English, north. variant of calver fresh, alive (said of fish) < ?

Word History and Origins

Origin of caller¹

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

Synonym Study

See visitor.

Example Sentences

They connect callers with resources and “Know Your Rights” trainings, conduct legal screenings and launch public-support campaigns for those detained by federal agents.

From Salon

Von hosts a weekly podcast called “This Past Weekend,” where he discusses various topics and interviews guests and callers.

From Los Angeles Times

And 14 of the past 20 winners of the Super Bowl MVP were the signal callers on the winning team.

From BBC

These cuts have resulted in applicants waiting over a month for appointments, callers experiencing two-hour average wait times, and disability applicants facing eight-month delays for initial decisions with additional seven-month waits for appeals.

From Los Angeles Times

She said emergency callers were now regularly advising callers to take relatives to hospital by car if it was appropriate to do so, so they could be treated much more quickly.

From BBC

Related Words

• guest 

When To Use

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.