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• player
  player

  noun

  a person or thing that plays.
• Player
  Player

  noun

  Gary, born 1935, South African golfer.

player

¹ American  

[pley-er] / ˈpleɪ ər /

noun

• players
  plural

1. a person or thing that plays.

2. a person who takes part or is skilled in some game or sport.

3. a person who plays parts on the stage; an actor.

4. a performer on a musical instrument.

5. Informal. a participant, as in a conference or business deal.

6. a machine or piece of software that reproduces sound or images: a videodisc player;

   a record player;

   a videodisc player;

   a digital media player.

7. a gambler.

8. Slang. a person engaged in illicit or illegal activity, especially a pimp.

9. a mechanical device by which a musical instrument, as a player piano, is played automatically.

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Player ² American  

[pley-er] / ˈpleɪ ər /

noun

1. Gary, born 1935, South African golfer.

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player ¹ British  

/ ˈpleɪə /

noun

1. a person who participates in or is skilled at some game or sport

2. a person who plays a game or sport professionally

3. a person who plays a musical instrument

4. an actor

5. informal a participant, esp a powerful one, in a particular field of activity

   a leading city player

6. See record player

7. the playing mechanism in a Pianola

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Player ² British  

/ ˈpleɪə /

noun

1. Gary (ˈɡærɪ). born 1935, South African golfer: winner of nine major championships (1959–78), including the British Open (1959, 1968, 1974)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• counterplayer
  noun
• nonplayer
  noun
• self-player
  noun
• superplayer
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• players
  plural

Etymology

Origin of player

before 1000; Middle English pleyer, Old English plegere. See play, -er ¹

Explanation

If you like to play anything at all, you’re a player. If you take part in a game or sport, you're a player. If you're a big flirt, you’re a player. Like the kazoo? You’re a kazoo player. Play on! Some players play cards or tennis, and others play roles in theater productions. You could also call a musician a player, like a piano player or a flute player. Vital or influential people (or groups) are sometimes described this way too: "The president called a meeting of all the biggest political players." And finally, there are inanimate players, like music or radio players, or an MP3 player.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

player Player players

Despite losing the Division 1 player of the year, Ava Irwin, to Sierra Canyon, the Lions keep rolling with an 8-0 record this season.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026

The league has called off tournaments, slashed prize money, delayed player payments and faced a lawsuit from creative agency Fresh Tape Media.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026

Later on Monday it was announced that routine player news conferences the following day wouldn't happen.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

This year’s men’s and women’s Open singles winners will each take home $5.5 million after organizers, responding to player appeals for a larger share of revenue, spiked the overall payout 20%.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

She has a dresser with a small mirror and a cabinet with a two-plate burner, record player, and records.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

Fernandes recorded a Premier League record 21 assists last season and is favourite to be crowned PFA Player of the Year for 2025-26 in Manchester next week.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

Should the 35-year-old Donald, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, ultimately decide to throw on his shoulder pads again, it would supercharge a team that is already the preseason Super Bowl favorite.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

Watt, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, will work alongside Jim Nantz and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson as CBS’ lead team during Romo’s absence.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026

James, the NBA all-time scoring leader and a four-time NBA Most Valuable Player, has won four titles in a 23-year career, most recently with the Los Angeles Lakers.

From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026

I hit the Player One button again and began my third game.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

Tonali, Conor Gallagher and Destiny Udogie are capable of driving past players and carrying the ball over large distances from a wider position if the middle of the pitch is blocked.

From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026

Some players, such as two-time major winner Jon Rahm, are on contracts that are supposed to pay out huge sums in coming years.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026

To become a powerhouse in a new sport takes good coaching and good players.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026

Major autonomous-driving companies are getting ready to turn Las Vegas into a robotaxi battleground after Nevada gave three big players the OK to deploy more cars.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026

Dog owners out for a stroll would continuously pass by, pulling on leashes and calling out commands to keep their animals from scurrying under the tables and sniffing the ankles and shoes of the players.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Related Words

• athlete
• competitor
• member
• opponent
• participant
• pro
• professional
• rookie