catcher

American  

[kach-er] / ˈkætʃ ər /

noun

• catchers
  plural

1. a person or thing that catches.

2. Baseball. the player stationed behind home plate, whose chief duty is to catch pitches not hit by the batter.

3. a member of an aerialist team, as in a circus, who hangs head down from a trapeze and catches another member who has completed a jump or somersault through the air.

4. Metalworking. a person who feeds metal rods through a looping mill.

5. catcher resonator. Electronics. Klystron

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catcher British  

/ ˈkætʃə /

noun

1. a person or thing that catches, esp in a game or sport

2. baseball a fielder who stands behind home plate and catches pitched balls not hit by the batter

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• catchers
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of catcher

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; see origin at catch, -er ¹

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Explanation

In baseball or softball, the catcher is the player who crouches behind home plate and catches the pitches that aren't hit by the batter. The catcher plays an important role in the game of baseball, being the person who uses hand signals to request specific pitches and heads up the team's defense. Because of the catcher's position (behind a swinging bat, facing a fast-moving baseball), he or she wears protective gear, including a mask and chest guard. Catchers tend to have more injuries and shorter careers than other players — crouching tends to be very hard on their knees.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

catcher catchers

The son of Marvin Harrison Sr., a Hall of Fame pass catcher for the Indianapolis Colts during Peyton Manning’s heyday, he was a two-time All-American with all the traits that coaches love.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026

Roberts moved designated hitter Shohei Ohtani down to sixth in the batting order, and put catcher Will Smith behind him.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026

All-Star catcher Will Smith has gone a dismal 1 for 23 at the plate.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

Harris then stole second and failed to capitalize on catcher Will Smith’s off-target throw, which got past second baseman Kiké Hernández and bounced into the outfield.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026

Hennessey, who was working catcher, casually hands him a bat as he steps up to the plate, and I jog to take over for her.

From "Fast Pitch" by Nic Stone

Batters, catchers and pitchers can contest a ball or strike call by immediately tapping their cap or helmet.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

And while that last claim is somewhat breathless and overblown, the story told by Mr. Kerbaj teems with spies and spy catchers who could have slithered off the pages of John le Carré.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026

Having sworn never to be taken back to slavery alive—or to let that happen to anyone else—he had organized an armed self-defense force of black neighbors to fend off slave catchers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

Root was aggressive, with plenty of catchers in place for most of the day.

From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026

A new law roped every citizen of the United States into conspiracy with the slave catchers, requiring everyone to search out and turn in any slaves they knew to be in hiding.

From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield

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