1
a
: one that reads
a magazine with three million readers
b
: one appointed to read to others: such as
(1)
: lector
(2)
: one chosen to read aloud selected material in a Christian Science church or society
c(1)
(2)
: one who evaluates manuscripts
(3)
: one who reads periodical literature to discover items of special interest or value
d
: an employee who reads and records the indications of meters
e
: a teacher's assistant who reads and marks student papers
2
British
: one who reads lectures or expounds subjects to students
3
a
: a device for projecting a readable image of a transparency
b
: an electronic device that can display text (as that of a book or magazine)
c
: an electronic device that scans coded information (as on credit cards or bar codes) for storage or computation
5
readers plural
: eyeglasses used for reading or close work : reading glasses
Gilda came back with a pair of readers and, looking through her glasses, gave my eyelids serious consideration.—Jeanne Ray
Cite this Entry
“Reader.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reader. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.
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