deadhead
Deadhead (noun) means a person either admitted to a theatrical or musical performance without charge, or paid to attend.
Etymology
From dead + head. Some senses are derived from theater jargon (originally spelled dead head) for audience members admitted without paying, which probably arose in analogy to dead weight or deadwood in reference to their lack of contribution to revenue or in reference to their unenthusiastic (dead) response to performances. Perhaps even from Latin caput mortuum, alchemy term for distillation residue. As Paul Quinion writes: Similarly, the term was applied to a dull or lazy person, one who contributes nothing to an enterprise, only in the early years of the twentieth century, well after the theatrical and transport senses had become well established.
Rhymes for deadhead
See all rhymes for deadhead →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of deadhead?
"deadhead" (noun) means a person either admitted to a theatrical or musical performance without charge, or paid to attend.
What are the different meanings of deadhead?
"deadhead" has 3 main meanings: 1. A person either admitted to a theatrical or musical performance without charge, or paid to attend; 2. An employee of a transport company, especially a pilot or flight attendant, traveling as a passenger for logistical reasons, for example to return home or travel to the next assignment; 3. Anyone traveling for free, without paying the expected fare.