spinner

American  

[spin-er] / ˈspɪn ər /

noun

• spinners
  plural

1. a person or thing that spins.

2. Angling. a lure, as a spoon bait, that revolves in the water in trolling and casting.

3. Also called spinner play. Football. a play in which the player carrying the ball twirls about, to deceive the other team as to where the player intends to hit the line.

4. Aeronautics. a streamlined fairing over a propeller hub.

5. British Informal. nightjar.

6. Slang. a disc jockey.

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spinner British  

/ ˈspɪnə /

noun

1. a person or thing that spins

2. informal a spin doctor

3. cricket

   1. a ball that is bowled with a spinning motion

   2. a bowler who specializes in bowling such balls

4. a streamlined fairing that fits over and revolves with the hub of an aircraft propeller

5. a fishing lure with a fin or wing that revolves when drawn through the water

6. an angler's name for the mature adult form (imago) of various flies, especially the mayflies Compare dun 2

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• underspinner
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• spinners
  plural

Etymology

Origin of spinner

First recorded in 1175–1225, spinner is from the Middle English word spinnere. See spin, -er ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

spinner spinners

Crane, who also played two T20 internationals in 2017, could also push his case in the fight to be England's number one spinner in Test cricket.

From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026

That neither pressed on – Duckett was bowled for 67 and Banton stumped for 73, both to left-arm spinner Dinuth Wellalage – was disappointing.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

For the home cooks: OXO is best known for revolutionizing the salad spinner, but it has also redesigned the garlic press, the can opener, the vegetable peeler … the list goes on.

From Slate ● Sep. 11, 2026

The short stuff, one over of spin, the second new-ball with the spinner.

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026

Mom is wound up like a fidget spinner.

From "Blended" by Sharon M. Draper

The 39-year-old had a more worn pitch to utilise than South Africa's spinners and found significantly more turn and threat.

From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026

As professional spinners of reputation and reshapers of meaning, marketers have long created newfangled jobs or pithy descriptions to slot their work into the zeitgeist.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

On that occasion, Pakistan used garden heaters and fans to dry the surface, to assist their spinners.

From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026

She took on Ecclestone effectively down the ground, with England's spinners unable to extract as much turn from the surface to put doubt in the batters' minds.

From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026

Cherry bombs, Roman candles, ground spinners, parachutes, sparklers.

From "As Brave As You" by Jason Reynolds

Related Words

• gyroscope