catcher

American  

[kach-er] / ˈkætʃ ər /

noun

• catchers
  plural

1. a person or thing that catches.

2. Baseball. the player stationed behind home plate, whose chief duty is to catch pitches not hit by the batter.

3. a member of an aerialist team, as in a circus, who hangs head down from a trapeze and catches another member who has completed a jump or somersault through the air.

4. Metalworking. a person who feeds metal rods through a looping mill.

5.  catcher resonator.  Electronics. Klystron

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catcher British  

/ ˈkætʃə /

noun

1. a person or thing that catches, esp in a game or sport

2. baseball a fielder who stands behind home plate and catches pitched balls not hit by the batter

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• catchers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of catcher

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; see origin at catch, -er ¹

Explanation

In baseball or softball, the catcher is the player who crouches behind home plate and catches the pitches that aren't hit by the batter. The catcher plays an important role in the game of baseball, being the person who uses hand signals to request specific pitches and heads up the team's defense. Because of the catcher's position (behind a swinging bat, facing a fast-moving baseball), he or she wears protective gear, including a mask and chest guard. Catchers tend to have more injuries and shorter careers than other players — crouching tends to be very hard on their knees.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

catcher catchers

Dalton Rushing is “pain-free” and close to facing live pitching, according to Roberts, but the catcher is “unlikely” to return to catching this season.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026

Pirela was signed by the Rangers at age 17 out of Barquisimeto, Venezuela, and played catcher, first base and the outfield from 2009-2011 for the team’s Dominican Republic Summer League affiliate.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

Later in the inning, though the run would have likely scored anyway, the usually strong relay combination of center fielder Andy Pages and Betts ended with Betts throwing over catcher Ben Rortvedt.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026

The Seattle Mariners catcher had one of the greatest slugging performances in baseball history in 2025, becoming just the seventh player to bash 60 home runs in a single season.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

For a spy catcher like Lamphere, it was maddening.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

Among the 24 major league catchers with at least 200 plate appearances entering play Friday, Rushing ranked fifth in OPS.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2026

On defense, Rushing ranks next-to-last in defensive runs saved among major league catchers, ahead of only the Angels’ Logan O’Hoppe.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2026

Root was aggressive, with plenty of catchers in place for most of the day.

From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026

Knowing conditions were in their favour and time on the field was short, England crowded the bat with as many as seven close catchers.

From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2026

Ridgeway fell in with a circle of slave catchers, gorillas stuffed into black suits with ridiculous derbies.

From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead