leader

American  

[lee-der] / ˈli dər /

noun

1. a person or thing that leads.

2. a guiding or directing head, as of an army, movement, or political group.

3. Music.

   1. a conductor or director, as of an orchestra, band, or chorus.

   2. the player at the head of the first violins in an orchestra, the principal cornetist in a band, or the principal soprano in a chorus, to whom any incidental solos are usually assigned.

4. a featured article of trade, especially one offered at a low price to attract customers.

5. Journalism.

   1. leading article.

   2. Also called leading article.  British. the principal editorial in a newspaper.

6. blank film or tape at the beginning of a length of film or magnetic tape, used for threading a motion-picture camera, tape recorder, etc.

7. Angling.

   1. a length of nylon, silkworm gut, wire, or the like, to which the lure or hook is attached.

   2. the net used to direct fish into a weir, pound, etc.

8. a pipe for conveying rainwater downward, as from a roof; downspout.

9. a horse harnessed at the front of a team.

10. Printing. leaders, a row of dots or a short line to lead the eye across a space.

11. Nautical. lead.

12. a duct for conveying warm air from a hot-air furnace to a register or stack.

13. Mining. a thin vein of ore connected with a large vein.

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leader British  

/ ˈliːdə /

noun

1. a person who rules, guides, or inspires others; head

2. music

   1. Also called (esp US and Canadian): concertmaster.  the principal first violinist of an orchestra, who plays solo parts, and acts as the conductor's deputy and spokesman for the orchestra

   2. a conductor or director of an orchestra or chorus

3. 1. the first man on a climbing rope

   2. the leading horse or dog in a team

4. an article offered at a sufficiently low price to attract customers See also loss leader

5. a statistic or index that gives an advance indication of the state of the economy

6. Also called: leading article.  the leading editorial in a newspaper

7. angling another word for trace 2 cast

8. nautical another term for fairlead

9. a strip of blank film or tape used to facilitate threading a projector, developing machine, etc, and to aid identification

10. (plural) printing rows of dots or hyphens used to guide the reader's eye across a page, as in a table of contents

11. botany any of the long slender shoots that grow from the stem or branch of a tree: usually removed during pruning

12. a member of the Government having primary authority in initiating legislative business (esp in the phrases Leader of the House of Commons and Leader of the House of Lords )

13. the senior barrister, usually a Queen's Counsel, in charge of the conduct of a case Compare junior

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Other Word Forms

• leaderless adjective
• subleader noun

Etymology

Origin of leader

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English leder(e); lead ¹, -er ¹

Example Sentences

“Our long-term outlook for GE Vernova as a leader in both Power and Electrification, and viewing GE Vernova as a core holding, are unchanged, but we are moving to the sidelines,” he wrote.

From Barron's

And while she enjoys working with the NHS, in her experience not all social care directors feel the same - she says that some NHS leaders blame social care for delayed discharges.

From BBC

“But on that stage, Bob Weir is the leader. He calls every shot, and at no time will that ever change.”

From Los Angeles Times

Many educational leaders were openly defiant, and quickly identified potential loopholes in the court’s decision.

From The Wall Street Journal

In a statement posted on social media, town council leader, Conservative Dan Swords, said the authority was working urgently "to establish the full facts".

From BBC

Related Words

• chief
• commander
• director
• head
• manager
• officer
• ruler