starter

1 of 2

noun

start·​er ˈstär-tər 

1

: a person who initiates or sets going: such as

a

: an official who gives the signal to begin a race

b

: one who dispatches vehicles

2

a

: one that engages in a competition

especially : a member of a starting lineup

b

: one that begins to engage in an activity or process

3

: one that causes something to begin operating: such as

a

: a device for starting an engine

especially : an electric motor used to start an internal combustion engine

b

: material containing microorganisms (such as yeast) used to induce a desired fermentation

4

: something that is the beginning of a process, activity, or series

especially : appetizer

starter

2 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, or being an item acquired with the expectation that a more elaborate or sophisticated model will be acquired in the future

a starter home

Phrases

for starters

: to begin with

Examples of starter in a Sentence

Noun

The team is playing only five regular starters.

The car's starter needs to be replaced.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Vesia had replaced Glasnow after a two-out walk in the top of the sixth pushed the starter’s pitch count to 99. —Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 17 Oct. 2025

However, if the Mets were to offer a promising young starter like Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong or Brandon Sproat available in a package for Kwan, that could be the kind of headliner who helps get a deal done. —Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025

Adjective

My first budget-friendly starter poles, a pair from Cascade Mountain, were a bit too bulky and stiff for my liking. —Anna Fiorentino, Travel + Leisure, 23 Oct. 2025

While the Bengals likely hope Flacco is merely a stopgap until starter Joe Burrow returns, the 40-year-old has an incentive to hope his stay under center lasts as long as possible thanks to language in his contract. —Josh Buckhalter, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1622, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1923, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing starter

• kick-starter
• self-starter
• starter home/house
• starter kit

Rhymes for starter

• arter
• barter
• charter
• darter
• garter
• martyr
• smarter
• tartar

Kids Definition

starter

noun

start·​er

ˈstärt-ər

: someone or something that starts something or causes something else to start

the starter of a motor