headliner

[hed-lahy-ner]

See more synonyms for headliner on Thesaurus.com

noun

a performer whose name appears most prominently in a program or advertisement or on a marquee; star.

Origin of headliner

First recorded in 1890–95; headline + -er¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for headliner

Contemporary Examples

He was the headliner at the hotel that evening, and allegedly offered her a ticket to his show.
Bill Cosby’s Long List of Accusers (So Far): 18 Alleged Sexual Assault Victims Between 1965-2004
Marlow Stern
November 24, 2014
The company also co-sponsored a concert with 2Chainz as headliner and partnered with UniversityPrimetime.com.
FinnaRage Wants You to Rage at Its Parties. So What if It Ends Up a Riot?
Melanie Plenda
October 27, 2014
He played a few songs to warm up the crowd for the headliner, Odetta, the queen of American folk music.
Fact Vs. Fiction in ‘Inside Llewyn Davis’: The Real Story of Folk is Far Less Dejected Than the Movie
Jimmy So
December 4, 2013
But Wood was the headliner—and with her level of stage-presence, the other nervous toddlers felt a little like filler.
Inside the Toddler Fashion Show
Isabel Wilkinson
September 16, 2011
With one day left before kickoff, no headliner had been chosen.
The Right Invades Washington
Samuel P. Jacobs, Shushannah Walshe
February 8, 2011

Historical Examples

They called Eric from private life to be headliner in their vaudeville.
In a Little Town
Rupert Hughes
He was only nineteen when he joined the club and was a headliner from the start.
Pitching in a Pinch
Christy Mathewson
Eight meetings announced him as headliner, with Cooper Union as the climax.
The Dual Alliance
Marjorie Benton Cooke
Why must the headliner always be a talking or a singing person who tells you how much money he needs, or how much she is getting?
Adventures in the Arts
Marsden Hartley
The chills were running up and down my spine in our cold apartment, but this headliner froze me stiff.
Germany in War Time
Mary Ethel McAuley

British Dictionary definitions for headliner

headliner

noun

a performer given prominent billing; star

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

Word Origin and History for headliner

n.

1891, "one who writes newspaper headlines;" 1896 as "one who stars in a performance;" from headline + -er (1).

headliner

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}headliner

Examples from the Web for headliner

Contemporary Examples

He was the headliner at the hotel that evening, and allegedly offered her a ticket to his show.

The company also co-sponsored a concert with 2Chainz as headliner and partnered with UniversityPrimetime.com.

He played a few songs to warm up the crowd for the headliner, Odetta, the queen of American folk music.

But Wood was the headliner—and with her level of stage-presence, the other nervous toddlers felt a little like filler.

With one day left before kickoff, no headliner had been chosen.

Historical Examples

They called Eric from private life to be headliner in their vaudeville.

He was only nineteen when he joined the club and was a headliner from the start.

Eight meetings announced him as headliner, with Cooper Union as the climax.

Why must the headliner always be a talking or a singing person who tells you how much money he needs, or how much she is getting?

The chills were running up and down my spine in our cold apartment, but this headliner froze me stiff.

headliner

Word Origin and History for headliner

n.

Origin of headliner