leader

lead-er · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    A person who leads a group of people, organization, or country.

  2. 2.

    A person or thing that is first or ahead of others.

  3. 3.

    [British]The principal editorial in a newspaper.

  4. 4.

    A short strip of material at each end of a reel of film or tape.

Forms

plural: leaders

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    born leader — Someone with natural leadership abilities.
  • •
    leader of the pack — The most prominent or dominant member.
  • •
    loss leader — A product sold at a loss to attract customers.
  • •
    thought leader — An authority in a particular field.
  • •
    follow the leader — A game where participants copy the leader.

Related words

Antonyms: follower, subordinate
See also: chief, head, lead, leadership, leading
Synonyms: captain, chief, commander, director, head

Etymology

From Old English lædan ("to lead") + -er (agent suffix). The word developed from the verb "lead" with the addition of the suffix indicating a person who performs an action.