loader

American

[loh-der] / ˈloʊ dər /

noun

a person or thing that loads.
a self-propelled machine with a shovel or bucket at the end of articulated arms, used to raise earth or other material and load it into a dump truck.

loader British

/ ˈləʊdə /

noun

a person who loads a gun or other firearm
(in combination) designating a firearm or machine loaded in a particular way

breech-loader
top-loader
computing a system program that takes a program in a form close to machine code and places it into a memory for execution

"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

Etymology

Origin of loader

Middle English loder; see load, -er ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A front-end loader would roll down the seemingly endless aisles and pop the trees out one by one.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026

It is believed that Khormuj has a mechanical loader for moving missiles into the silos on train tracks, instead of on mobile launchers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

Festival-goers can compete for the title of best welder, crane operator or backhoe loader -- or be crowned the "Oildorado Queen."

From Barron's • Oct. 20, 2025

Ultimately, though, “Caltrans responded with a loader and a dump truck,” Hendricks said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2024

He managed to duck behind them right before a backhoe loader rolled past.

From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023