driver

The word “driver” means a person who operates a vehicle. In plain terms, someone who drives a vehicle, a computer program controlling hardware, a type of golf club, or a cause behind some outcome.

“Driver” is pronounced DREYE-vuh (/ˈdɹaɪvɚ/ in IPA).

Here is “driver” used in a sentence: “The bus driver waited for the last passenger.”

“Driver” is a noun.

“Driver” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Driver” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person who operates a vehicle.

A driver is anyone who operates a vehicle, whether for work, travel, or leisure. A chauffeur is a professional driver employed to drive someone else, usually in a private or luxury car. Every chauffeur is a driver, but a chauffeur specifically drives passengers as a paid, personal service.

Besides a person who operates a vehicle, driver can mean a force that causes something to happen ('a key driver of growth'), a piece of software that lets a computer control hardware ('a printer driver'), or a golf club used for long shots from the tee. Context makes the meaning clear.

A good driver combines skill, attention, and responsibility. That means knowing the rules of the road, staying alert to hazards, controlling speed, and anticipating what other road users might do. Patience and calm under pressure matter too, as does keeping the vehicle well maintained. Experience sharpens judgement over time.

No. Driver applies equally to anyone who operates a vehicle, regardless of gender. Unlike some older occupational terms, it has always been neutral, so there is no separate male or female form. Whether the person is a bus driver, taxi driver, or racing driver, the same word is used.