Main Entry: lead·er

Pronunciation: \ˈlē-dər\

Function: noun

Date: 14th century

1 : something that leads: as a : a primary or terminal shoot of a plant b : tendon, sinew c plural : dots or hyphens (as in an index) used to lead the eye horizontally : ellipsis 2 d chiefly British : a newspaper editorial e (1) : something for guiding fish into a trap (2) : a short length of material for attaching the end of a fishing line to a lure or hook f : loss leader g : something that ranks first h : a blank section at the beginning or end of a reel of film or recorded tape
2 : a person who leads: as a : guide, conductor b (1) : a person who directs a military force or unit (2) : a person who has commanding authority or influence c (1) : the principal officer of a British political party (2) : a party member chosen to manage party activities in a legislative body (3) : such a party member presiding over the whole legislative body when the party constitutes a majority d (1) : conductor c (2) : a first or principal performer of a group
3 : a horse placed in advance of the other horses of a team

— lead·er·less \-ləs\ adjective