loader

American  

[loh-der] / ˈloʊ dər /

noun

1. a person or thing that loads.

2. 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.

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ˈloader British  

/ ˈləʊdə /

noun

1. a person who loads a gun or other firearm

2. (in combination) designating a firearm or machine loaded in a particular way

   breech-loader

   top-loader

3. computing a system program that takes a program in a form close to machine code and places it into a memory for execution

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Etymology

Origin of loader

Middle English loder; load, -er ¹

Example Sentences

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

A construction loader drove back and forth on the sidewalk, scooping up tents and depositing them in a trash truck.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 9, 2025

Anthony Bilton, 59, was run over by a shovel loader on Atlantic Recycling Limited's site in Cardiff in 2019.

From BBC • Feb. 29, 2024

“This is my last night in the machine shop. He reassigned me to the mine. I’ll be operating a loader on the evening shift.”

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam