LEADER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does leader mean? 

• LEADER (noun)
  The noun LEADER has 2 senses:

1. a person who rules or guides or inspires others

2. a featured article of merchandise sold at a loss in order to draw customers

  Familiarity information: LEADER used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• LEADER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A person who rules or guides or inspires others

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("leader" is a kind of...):

individual; mortal; person; somebody; someone; soul (a human being)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "leader"):

pol; political leader; politician; politico (a person active in party politics)

lawgiver; lawmaker (a maker of laws; someone who gives a code of laws)

malik (the leader of a town or community in some parts of Asia Minor and the Indian subcontinent)

military leader (a leader of military forces)

misleader (someone who leads astray (often deliberately))

model; role model (someone worthy of imitation)

hero (a man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength)

nationalist leader (the leader of a nationalist movement)

pied piper (a leader who entices people to follow (especially to their doom))

point man (someone who is the forefront of an important enterprise)

point woman (a woman who is the forefront of an important enterprise)

aristocrat; blue blood; patrician (a member of the aristocracy)

politician (a leader engaged in civil administration)

presiding officer (the leader of a group meeting)

puppet leader; puppet ruler (a leader or ruler who is chosen by a despot to head a government)

religious leader (leader of a religious order)

scoutmaster (the leader of a troop of Scouts)

spearhead (someone who leads or initiates an activity (attack or campaign etc.))

strike leader (someone who leads a strike)

higher-up; superior; superordinate (one of greater rank or station or quality)

torchbearer (a leader in a campaign or movement)

trainer (one who trains other persons or animals)

initiator; instigator (a person who initiates a course of action)

spiritual leader (a leader in religious or sacred affairs)

bellwether (someone who assumes leadership of a movement or activity)

caller (the person who convenes a meeting)

captain; chieftain (the leader of a group of people)

cheerleader (someone who leads the cheers by spectators at a sporting event)

choragus ((ancient Greece) leader of a group or festival; leader of a chorus)

civic leader; civil leader (a leader in municipal affairs)

commander (someone in an official position of authority who can command or control others)

demigod; superman; Ubermensch (a person with great powers and abilities)

duce (leader)

employer (a person or firm that employs workers)

father (a person who holds an important or distinguished position in some organization)

boss (a person who exercises control and makes decisions)

fugleman (a leader and organizer and spokesman (especially a political leader))

galvaniser; galvanizer; inspirer (a leader who stimulates and excites people to action)

guide (someone who shows the way by leading or advising)

guru (a recognized leader in some field or of some movement)

chief; head; top dog (a person who is in charge)

chief; chieftain; headman; tribal chief (the head of a tribe or clan)

imam; imaum ((Islam) the man who leads prayers in a mosque; for Shiites an imam is a recognized authority on Islamic theology and law and a spiritual guide)

labor leader (a leader of a labor movement)

Instance hyponyms:

Husain; Husayn; Hussein; Saddam; Saddam bin Hussein at-Takriti; Saddam Hussein (Iraqi leader who waged war against Iran; his invasion of Kuwait led to the Gulf War (born in 1937))

Judas Maccabaeus (Jewish leader of a revolt in Judea that recovered Jerusalem around 166 BC; hero of the Apocryphal books I Maccabees and II Maccabees (?-161 BC))

Ahmad Shah Masoud; Masoud (Afghan leader of forces opposed to the Taliban; won fame by successfully resisting the Soviets in the 1980s; was assassinated by men posing as journalists (1953-2001))

Gaddafi; Khadafy; Muammar al-Qaddafi; Muammar el-Qaddafi; Qaddafi; Qadhafi (Libyan leader who seized power in a military coup d'etat in 1969; deposed the Libyan monarchy and imposed socialism and Islamic orthodoxy on the country (born in 1942))

Antonym:

follower (a person who accepts the leadership of another)

Derivation:

lead (cause to undertake a certain action)

lead (travel in front of; go in advance of others)

lead (take somebody somewhere)

lead (be in charge of)

leadership (the activity of leading)

leadership (the ability to lead)

leadership (the body of people who lead a group)

leadership (the status of a leader)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A featured article of merchandise sold at a loss in order to draw customers

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

drawing card; leader; loss leader

Hypernyms ("leader" is a kind of...):

feature (an article of merchandise that is displayed or advertised more than other articles)

 Context examples 

It was a novel experience to find himself head-lined, on the first page at that; and he was surprised to learn that he was the most notorious leader of the Oakland socialists.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

The English will be the Lord Audley, Sir Thomas Percy, Sir Thomas Wake, Sir William Beauchamp, and our own very good lord and leader.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Until February 16, you will need to be a good sport by not trying to be the leader.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Encoded by human KOC1 Gene, IGF-II mRNA-Binding Protein 3 contains a KH domain and binds to the 5-prime UTR of the IGF-II leader 3-prime mRNA.

(IGF-II mRNA-Binding Protein 3, NCI Thesaurus)

Look at the action of that leader: did ever you see anything more easy and more beautiful?

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The wisest as well as strongest dog was the leader, and the team obeyed him and feared him.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

No more was Spitz a leader greatly to be feared.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

Bah! what good are peasants without a leader?

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

However, study leader Pfluger is confident, "The satiety hormone leptin in humans and the mouse is almost identical, so celastrol has great potential."

(German scientists find potential treatment for obesity, Agência Brasil)

Liberian officials say most of the 31 patients infected attended the April 22 funeral of a religious leader in Sinoe County.

(Experts Link Fatal Mystery Illness in Liberia to Meningitis Bacteria, VOA)