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

: 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

• 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

Bentancur, who signed a contract extension days before Tottenham’s 2-1 win against Leeds United last time out, profited from a smart header across the box from Joao Palhinha, converting on the volley from eight yards out. —Elias Burke, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025

Both were released on March 14, which made the weekend an exciting double-header for the actress. —Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2025

Seattle’s Jordyn Huitema tried a header inside the penalty box that Sikowitz kept away from the goal with a leaping effort. —Staff, Mercury News, 11 Oct. 2025

Featuring 136 narrative features, documentaries and shorts from around the world, the program opens on Halloween with a double header. —Matt Grobar, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing header

• triple-header

Rhymes for header

• cheddar
• pedder
• redder
• shredder
• spreader

Kids Definition

header

noun

head·​er ˈhed-ər 

: a fall or dive headfirst

took a header downstairs