leader

[lee-der]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR leader ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a person or thing that leads.

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

Music.

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

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

Journalism.

leading article(def 1).
Also called leading article.British.the principal editorial in a newspaper.

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.Compare trailer(def 6).

Angling.

a length of nylon, silkworm gut, wire, or the like, to which the lure or hook is attached.
the net used to direct fish into a weir, pound, etc.

a pipe for conveying rain water downward, as from a roof; downspout.

a horse harnessed at the front of a team.

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

Nautical. lead¹(def 40b).

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

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

Origin of leader

1250–1300; Middle English leder(e). See lead¹, -er¹

Related formslead·er·less, adjectivesub·lead·er, noun

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

Related Words for leader

head, ruler, chief, commander, director, manager, officer, superintendent, general, lion, rector, dean, eminence, captain, pacesetter, principal, superior, lead, luminary, pioneer

Examples from the Web for leader

Contemporary Examples of leader

Their leader, Njie, still going by “Dave” during the operation, would stay a safe distance away until the State House was secure.
The Shadowy U.S. Veteran Who Tried to Overthrow a Country
Jacob Siegel
January 6, 2015
He affected an anchorman finesse in apologizing for “past mistakes” as a Ku Klux Klan leader.
The Louisiana Racists Who Courted Steve Scalise
Jason Berry
January 3, 2015
The seedlings of his potential greatness as a leader are sprinkled throughout it.
Mario Cuomo: An OK Governor, but a Far Better Person
Michael Tomasky
January 2, 2015
Jennie kept his parliamentary vestments for her son, apparently instilling in Winston the sense that he would be a leader.
The Real-Life ‘Downton’ Millionairesses Who Changed Britain
Tim Teeman
December 31, 2014
“Poor Steve Scalise is getting a bad rap,” Knight, a long-time aide to former KKK leader David Duke, told The Daily Beast.
GOP Boss Gets Help From ‘White Hate’ Pal
Tim Mak
December 30, 2014

Historical Examples of leader

Mr. Gladstone was hailed everywhere as the leader of the Liberal party.
The Grand Old Man
Richard B. Cook
The leader had gone with Joe Clune straight for the front car.
Way of the Lawless
Max Brand
Such was the leader whom Mr. Gladstone had faithfully followed for many years.
The Grand Old Man
Richard B. Cook
On the way the leader explained his system briefly and clearly.
Way of the Lawless
Max Brand
Not until he had secured such information did the leader move.
Way of the Lawless
Max Brand

British Dictionary definitions for leader

leader

noun

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

music

Also called (esp US and Canadian): concertmasterthe principal first violinist of an orchestra, who plays solo parts, and acts as the conductor's deputy and spokesman for the orchestra
USa conductor or director of an orchestra or chorus

the first man on a climbing rope
the leading horse or dog in a team

mainly US and Canadian an article offered at a sufficiently low price to attract customersSee also loss leader

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

Also called: leading article mainly British the leading editorial in a newspaper

angling another word for trace 2 (def. 2), cast (def. 32a)

nautical another term for fairlead

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

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

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

British 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)

the senior barrister, usually a Queen's Counsel, in charge of the conduct of a caseCompare junior (def. 6)

Derived Formsleaderless, adjective

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 leader

Old English lædere "one who leads," agent noun from lædan (see lead (v.)). As a title for the head of an authoritarian state, from 1918 (translating führer, Duce, caudillo, etc.). Meaning "writing or statement meant to begin a discussion or debate" is late 13c.; in modern use often short for leading article (1807) "opinion piece in a British newspaper" (leader in this sense attested from 1837).