header

noun

head·​er ˈhe-dər 

1

: one that removes heads

especially : a grain-harvesting machine that cuts off the grain heads and elevates them to a wagon

2

a

: a brick or stone laid in a wall with its end toward the face of the wall

b

: a beam fitted at one side of an opening to support free ends of floor joists, studs, or rafters

c

: a horizontal structural or finish piece over an opening : lintel

d

: a conduit (such as an exhaust pipe for a many-cylindered engine) into which a number of smaller conduits open

e

: a mounting plate through which electrical terminals pass from a sealed device (such as a transistor)

3

informal : a fall or dive headfirst

took a header into the pool

4

: a shot or pass in soccer made by heading the ball

5

a

: head sense 15a(1)

b

: information (such as a page number) printed or placed at the top of each page of a document compare footer sense 2

Synonyms of header

• title
• caption
• heading
• headline

Examples of header in a Sentence

She tripped on the rock and took a header.

He scored with a header past the goalie.

Recent Examples on the Web

Florida Democratic Senate candidate Angie Nixon and independent progressive Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders countered the recent onslaught of campaign advertisements against her in a double-header rally in Gainesville Sunday. — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026

Houston pulled even four minutes into the second half on a header by Héctor Herrera for his third goal this season — with a corner-kick assist from Guilherme Santos, who has 10 of them to go along with 16 goals in his first season in the league. — ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026

Baribo used his head to snag an assist on first-year defender Silvan Hefti's header in the fifth minute of stoppage time and DC United led 2-0 at halftime. — CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026

Lukas MacNaughton scored on a diving header in the seventh minute of first-half stoppage time and Roman Burki had five saves. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing header

• triple-header

Rhymes for header

• cheddar
• redder
• shredder
• spreader

Kids Definition

header

noun

head·​er ˈhed-ər 

: a fall or dive headfirst

took a header downstairs