catcher

American  

[kach-er] / ˈkætʃ ər /

noun

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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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

As Philadelphia’s Justin Crawford rushed to track it down, Max Muncy sprinted around third and slid into home, avoiding the tag by catcher J.T.

From Los Angeles Times • May 31, 2026

It requires extreme faith in the opposite catcher, as much as it does for the individual flipping multiple times over — they even recorded the groundbreaking stunt for posterity’s sake, along with other home videos.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

A ball is a ball to within a fraction of an inch, no matter how enticing a sneaky catcher can make it look to a mere mortal.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

When Hall of Fame catcher and champion quipper Yogi Berra said “nobody goes there anymore—it’s too crowded,” he was referring to a popular restaurant.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026

When I felt the weight of the apple in the canvas catcher, I lowered it to deposit yet another Macintosh into the basket.

From "Schooled" by Gordon Korman