leader English · revision 3120

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Old English}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈliː.də/, US /ˈliː.dɚ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|leder]],^(MWU 2024) [[inh|ang|lǣdere|t=one who leads, one first or most prominent]],^(Etymonline) an agent noun from [[m|ang|lǣdan|t=to guide, conduct]], the source of the verb [[lead]].^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) Its cognates include Old Frisian ledera, Dutch leider, Old High German leitari and German Leiter.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old English lǣdere, “one who leads”;^(Etymonline) in Middle English, a person who conducts or guides others, and a leader of armed men, a commander, are found before 1300.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A person who guides others in action or opinion is from 1375.^(OED 1989) In dialect a leader was also a carter.^(OED 1989) Johnson (1755) gave “one that leads” and “captain, commander”.^(Johnson 1755) A writing meant to begin a discussion is from the late 13th century;^(Etymonline) in modern use the newspaper sense is often short for ''leading article'' (1807), an opinion piece in a British paper, and ''leader'' in this sense is attested from 1837.^(Etymonline) The leading counsel in a case is from 1856,^(OED 1989) and the most eminent member of a profession from 1858.^(OED 1989) As a title for the head of an authoritarian state, translating Führer, Duce or caudillo, it is from 1918.^(Etymonline) The golf ''leader board'' is so called from 1970.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Old English – lǣdere, one who leads.^(Etymonline)

+ * before 1300 – a commander.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1375 – one who guides others in action or opinion.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1807 – ''leading article''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1837 – a newspaper leader.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1918 – head of an authoritarian state.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1970 – ''leader board''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person who leads or [[command|alt=commands]] a group, organization or country.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A person or thing that is ahead of others, as in a race or a market.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # The [[conductor]] or principal player of a band or orchestra.^(AHD)

+ # ''(British)'' An [[editorial]] in a newspaper.^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998)

+ # A length of line or film at the start of a reel; a short line attaching a fishhook.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A row of dots or dashes guiding the eye across a page, as in an index.^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[leaderless]]

+ * [[bandleader]]

+ * [[leaderboard]]

+ * [[leadership]]

+ * [[cheerleader]]

+ * [[ringleader]]

+ * [[subleader]]

+ * [[bear leader]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[lead]]

+ * [[load]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A separate ''leader'', from about 1440, meant a plumber, a worker in lead.^(OED 1989) In curling, the ''leader'' is the first player to throw a stone.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}