holder

[ hohl-der ]

/ ˈhoʊl dər /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR holder ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

something that holds or secures: a pencil holder.

a person who has the ownership, possession, or use of something; owner; tenant.

Law. a person who has the legal right to enforce a negotiable instrument.

Nearby words

Origin of holder

First recorded in 1300–50, holder is from the Middle English word haldere. See hold¹, -er¹

Related formshold·er·ship, nounpre·hold·er, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for holder

And Sharpton, Jackson, Holder, and yes, Obama, too, are shamefully silent.
As Michael Brown Grand Jury Winds Down, Is Ferguson on the Brink of War?|Ron Christie|November 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It begins with Holder saying America, in some ways, has been and continues to be "a nation of cowards."
Cliven Bundy’s Brokeback Mountain Moment|Olivia Nuzzi|October 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“I remember being in Texas at the LBJ Library for a speech on voting rights,” Holder said.
Eric Holder Exit Interview: Why He’ll Always Be an African American Icon|Joshua DuBois|September 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Barack Obama is still the president of the United States,” Holder told me.
Eric Holder Exit Interview: Why He’ll Always Be an African American Icon|Joshua DuBois|September 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Through it all, though, Holder has maintained his composure and remained focused on his legal and constitutional responsibilities.
Eric Holder’s Legacy: Bold on Equality, Less So on Civil Liberties|Geoffrey R. Stone|September 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When pulling on the tie pin the arms of the holder tend to draw together and clamp it on the pin.
The Boy Mechanic, Book 2|Various
The holder of it proved to be a workman of the gang, and between us and him the strangest parley ensued.
The Adventures of Harry Richmond, Complete|George Meredith
This vent must have a diameter at least equal to the inlet pipe of the holder.
Acetylene, The Principles Of Its Generation And Use|F. H. Leeds
The holder of that boy only did what the laws allowed him to do, and his conduct was in perfect consistency with chattel slavery.
The Slavery Question|John Lawrence
It consists of a piece of square steel set into a stock or holder.
Modern Machine-Shop Practice, Volumes I and II|Joshua Rose

British Dictionary definitions for holder

holder

/ (ˈhəʊldə) /

noun

a person or thing that holds

a person, such as an owner, who has possession or control of something
(in combination)householder

law a person who has possession of a bill of exchange, cheque, or promissory note that he is legally entitled to enforce

Derived Formsholdership, noun

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 holder