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 cplural : dots or hyphens (as in an index) used to lead the eye horizontally : ellipsis 2 dchiefly 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