player
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈpleɪɚ/
ipa: /ˈpleɪə(ɹ)/
rhymes: -eɪə(ɹ)
Forms: form: players
Etymology: From Middle English pleyer, playere, from Old English pleġere (“player, athlete, wrestler”), from Proto-West Germanic *plegārī. Equivalent to play + -er.
Senses: examples: text: He is an avid Minecraft player.
text: The player is free to create their own narrative within a much larger set of possible designed narrative options, or, given the geographic and dialogical openness of Morrowind, to refuse the creation of any narrative but their own and wander aimlessly through the game.
ref: 2015, Angus Slater, “Prophecy, Pre-destination, and Free-form Gameplay: The Nerevarine Prophecy in Bethesda’s ‘Morrowind’”, in Online: Heidelberg Journal of Religions on the Internet, volume 7, →DOI, page 175:
glosses: One that plays.
examples: text: He is a player for the Australian team.
glosses: One that plays.
One who plays any game or sport.
synonyms: laker
examples: text: All the world's a ſtage, / And all the men and women, merely Players
ref: c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene vii], page 194, column 1:
topics: entertainment
lifestyle
theater
glosses: One that plays.
An actor in a dramatic play.
topics: entertainment
lifestyle
music
glosses: One that plays.
One who plays on a musical instrument.
topics: games
gaming
video-games
glosses: One that plays.
A gamer; a person of video games or similar.
topics: gambling
games
glosses: One that plays.
A gambler.
examples: text: But up to this time the application of the player mechanism had been confined to reed instruments, the piano manufacturers having successfully resisted the introduction of the player mechanism into the piano; but, in the meantime, the manufacturers of players had grown strong and the manufacturers were beginning to properly interpret the handwriting on the wall
ref: 1915, John McTammany, The Technical History of the Player:
text: A Technical Treatise on Piano Player Mechanism" contains detailed description of the various types of interior and exterior players, embracing manual, pneumatic, automatic, mechanical and electric
ref: 1909, William Braid White, Regulation and Repair of Piano and Player Mechanism, ..., page 179:
text: Electric players used either a four-lobe rotary pump belt-driven by an electric motor or a self-contained electric motor and ...
ref: 1970, Arthur W. J. G. Ord-Hume, Player piano: the history of the mechanical piano and how to repair it:
glosses: One that plays.
A mechanism that actuates a player piano or other automatic musical instrument.
examples: Is your CD player broken, or is this one disc damaged?
topics: business
electrical-engineering
electricity
electromagnetism
electronics
energy
engineering
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
physics
glosses: One that plays.
An electronic device that plays audio or video media.
topics: computing
engineering
mathematics
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
sciences
glosses: One that plays.
A software application that plays audio or video media, such as a media player.
glosses: One who is playful; one without serious aims; an idler; a trifler.
examples: text: He thought he could become a player, at least at the state level.
text: Decision realities research recognizes the occupational tribalism identified in occupational realities research, but goes further by paying attention to all the players – patients and lay caregivers included – who participate in negotiating care.
ref: 2011, Suzanne Shale, Moral Leadership in Medicine, page 239:
text: Another Bush — George W.’s brother Jeb — is likely to be a big player in the Republican Party’s future.
ref: 2012 November 7, Matt Bai, “Winning a Second Term, Obama Will Confront Familiar Headwinds”, in New York Times:
text: As the biggest rail player, Network Rail was usually held accountable for failings, but had no authority to change anything to solve the problems. The DfT had been given that authority in 2004 - but consistently ducked accountability.
ref: 2021 March 10, Nigel Harris, “It's time to get on with it!”, in RAIL, number 926, page 3:
glosses: A participant; one involved in something.
examples: text: In this space we explored lesbian sadomasochism, met other S/M women who were serious players, had access to safe equipment and, through watching other women, learned new techniques.
ref: 1991 April 22, Wickie Stamps, “A Lesbian Looks At The GMSMA's 10ᵗʰ Anniversary Celebration”, in Gay Community News, page 11:
glosses: A participant; one involved in something.
One who participates in a particular type of sexual play.
examples: text: Thunder only happens when it’s rainin’ / Players only love you when they’re playin’ / Say women, they will come and they will go / When the rain washes you clean, you’ll know
ref: 1977, Stevie Nicks, “Dreams”, in Rumours, performed by Fleetwood Mac, Warner Bros.:
synonyms: word: adulterer
word: bed-hopper
word: carpetmonger
word: chamberer
word: debauchee
word: debaucher
word: fornicator
word: gallant
word: lecher
word: lewdster
word: libertine
word: hood rat
word: philanderer
word: rake
word: rantipole
word: rizzler
word: roué
word: player
word: seducer
word: voluptuary
word: wanton
glosses: A person who plays the field rather than having a long-term sexual relationship.
Derived terms: advantage player
back gammon player
badminton player
ball player
baseball player
basketball player
beach volleyball player
bit player
bugle player
bugle-player
cardplayer
cassette player
CD player
cello player
chalk player
chess player
chessplayer
coplayer
cosplayer
DVD player
field hockey player
five-tool player
five tool player
flute-player
football player
gameplayer
gamesplayer
garmon player
gridiron football player
guitar-player
handball player
harp-player
hockey player
horseplayer
interplayer
long player
long-player
marquee player
most valuable player
MP3 player
MP4 player
multiplayer
multi-player
nonplayer
non-player character
oboe-player
outfield player
photoplayer
piano player
ping pong player
playerbase
player character
playerdom
playeress
player hater
player-hater
playerhood
playerish
playerless
player-manager
player of the match
player piano
playersexual
playersexuality
playership
player versus environment
player versus player
player vs player
player vs. player
playette
playtron
polo player
proposition player
radio cassette player
record player
role-player
roleplayer
rôle-player
role player
rugby player
singleplayer
single-player
soccer player
squash player
stageplayer
string player
superplayer
table tennis player
tape player
team player
tennis player
trombone-player
trumpet-player
utility player
value over replacement player
VCD player
VHS player
volleyball player
water polo player
windplayer
Related terms: baller