leading man

[lee-ding]

See more synonyms for leading man on Thesaurus.com

noun

an actor who plays the principal male role in a motion picture or play.

Origin of leading man

First recorded in 1695–1705

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

Related Words for leading man

hero, lead

Examples from the Web for leading man

Contemporary Examples of leading man

The leading-man roles followed in the back-to-back 2012 blockbusters John Carter and Battleship.
‘Lone Survivor’ Taylor Kitsch’s Journey From Homelessness to Hollywood Stardom
Marlow Stern
December 18, 2013
The actor opens up about his fantastic performance and long road to leading-man status.
John Hawkes’s Award-Worthy Turn in ‘The Sessions’ and His Wild Ride to Stardom
Marlow Stern
October 18, 2012

British Dictionary definitions for leading man

leading man

noun

a man who plays the main part in a film, play, etc

Derived Formsleading lady, fem n

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