holder

American  

[hohl-der] / ˈhoʊl dər /

noun

1. something that holds hold or secures.

   a pencil holder.

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

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

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holder British  

/ ˈhəʊldə /

noun

1. a person or thing that holds

2. 1. a person, such as an owner, who has possession or control of something

   2. ( in combination )

      householder

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

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Other Word Forms

• holdership noun
• preholder noun

Etymology

Origin of holder

First recorded in 1300–50, holder is from the Middle English word haldere. See hold ¹, -er ¹

Example Sentences

Soleimani Afshar became a green card holder in 2021 under the Biden administration, Bis said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

The gamma-ray emission continued for at least seven hours, nearly doubling the duration of the previous record holder.

From Science Daily • Mar. 30, 2026

Robinhood External link, a digital asset brokerage, was up 2.1% ahead of the bell, while Strategy External link —the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin—rose 1.7%.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

An account holder who decides to, say, blow it on a trip to Cancún could owe $406 in federal income taxes and a $338 penalty on the withdrawal.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

I think about how Angel’s sneakers are pink, and she usually has a pink headband or ponytail holder.

From "Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero" by Kelly J. Baptist

Related Words

• buyer
• landowner
• partner
• purchaser