holder

noun

hold·​er ˈhōl-dər 

1

: a person that holds: such as

a(1)

: owner

(2)

: tenant

b

: a person in possession of and legally entitled to receive payment of a bill, note, or check

2

: a device that holds

a cigarette holder

Synonyms of holder

• owner
• proprietor

Examples of holder in a Sentence

She is the holder of an honorary degree.

the holder of a world record

Recent Examples on the Web

In December, the Whitecaps owners, a group that includes majority holder Greg Kerfoot, executive chair Jeff Mallett, Steve Luczo and former NBA star Steve Nash, hired Goldman Sachs to sell the franchise. —Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 29 Nov. 2025

The current holder of the title is Queen Elizabeth's only daughter, Princess Anne. —Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 29 Nov. 2025

For just $10, this passport holder also has compartments for your credit cards, offering a two-in-one solution for keeping your essentials organized. —Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 29 Nov. 2025

Account holders charged more than one out-of-network ATM fee for withdrawals preceded by a balance inquiry between August 20, 2020, and February 20, 2024. —Associate News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing holder

• co-holder
• holder in due course
• pot holder
• record holder
• slave holder

Rhymes for holder

• bolder
• bowlder
• colder
• folder
• golder
• molder
• moulder
• older
• polder
• shoulder
• beholder
• bondholder

Kids Definition

holder

noun

hold·​er ˈhōl-dər 

1

: a person that holds

especially : a legal owner

2

: a device that holds

Legal Definition

holder

noun

hold·​er

1

: a person that holds: as

a

: owner

the holder of a patent

—often used in combination

a stockholder

b

: one that holds or occupies the property of another by agreement and especially under a lease

2

a

: a person who under the Uniform Commercial Code is in possession of a negotiable instrument that names and is made payable to the possessor or that is payable to bearer

b

: a person under the Uniform Commercial Code in possession of goods named in a document of title if the goods are deliverable to bearer or to the order of the possessor

3

in the civil law of Louisiana : an individual (as a trustee or debtor) or legal or commercial entity that under the Civil Code's provisions for disposition of unclaimed property is in possession of property belonging to another