noun
player
PLAY-uh
noun
1
Someone taking part in a game or sport.
"Only eleven players are allowed on the pitch at once."
"She's the best player on the team."
2
An actor performing in a play.
"The players took their bows as the curtain fell."
3
A device that plays recorded audio or video.
"He plugged the old cassette player into the speakers."
"Streaming apps come with a built-in video player."
4
An important or influential participant in a field, deal, or industry.
"The company is now a major player in the electric-car market."
5
Informal: someone who dates multiple people casually rather than committing to one relationship.
"Everyone warned her that he was a player."
How to Use Player
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAnyone or anything that plays — a sportsperson, an actor, a media device, or, informally, someone who juggles several romantic partners.
Common mistake
Context matters a lot here — "a big player in tech" means an influential company, not a literal games player.
Common pairings
key player
star player
media player
major player
Word Forms
players plural, Players plural
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Only eleven _____ are allowed on the pitch at once.
Etymology
From Old English pleġere ("athlete, one who plays"), built from play plus the agent suffix -er.