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

Heading into the 2025 season as the starter, Manning spoke out and sent a bold message. —Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 July 2025

With so many starters on restrictive pitch counts, the bullpen has to cover 4-5 innings every night. —Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 19 July 2025

Adjective

The redshirt sophomore signal-caller got a small taste of being an SEC starting QB last season when starter Quinn Ewers, who's since been drafted by the Miami Dolphins, went down with an abdominal injury. —Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 July 2025

DDoS protection is also included in every plan, even the starter options. —Robert Anderson, PC Magazine, 15 July 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