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

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Etymology

Origin of spinner

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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

spinner spinners

"I think they might be in with a shout, with a bit of luck on their side," said former England spinner Phil Tufnell.

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 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 answer, at least for now, has been to choose four frontline seamers and omit a specialist spinner, with Dan Lawrence offering some part-time off-breaks if required.

From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026

They may not have a frontline spinner but Robinson, who conceded runs at just 1.29 per over across the Lord's Test, can effectively do the holding job of a slow bowler if needed.

From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026

Mom is wound up like a fidget spinner.

From "Blended" by Sharon M. Draper

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

That always appeared a match-winning total on a surface offering bounce for the pace bowlers and turn for the spinners.

From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026

They are most similar in the way they pick length, allowing them to pull, flat-bat or cut balls from spinners even in good areas.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 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

“The prophecy says the spinners must assent,” said Vikus.

From "Gregor the Overlander" by Suzanne Collins

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