driver
Pluraldrivers
- 1A person who operates a powered vehicle, such as a car, bus, truck, train, or forklift.
The bus driver waited until everyone sat down before pulling away.
Every driver must stop when the light turns red.
UsageOften after the vehicle: truck driver, bus driver. Your driver can mean a person paid to drive you.
Oppositepassenger
- 2A thing that helps cause something else to happen or grow.
Like the engine that pushes a train forward.
Lower prices were the main driver of higher sales.
Fear can be a powerful driver of bad decisions.
UsageUsually driver of something: the main driver of sales. In simple writing, cause is often better.
Similarfactor, cause, catalyst, engine, force
Note
- 3A small program that lets your computer talk to a piece of hardware, like a printer.
Like a translator who helps two people who speak different languages understand each other.
You need to install a driver before the printer will work.
The new graphics driver fixed the screen problems.
UsageYou install or update a driver: a printer driver, a driver for the scanner.
Note
- 4A person who guides or pushes something along.
Every big change needs a driver willing to push it forward.
The driver of the horse cart gave the reins a gentle shake.
UsageOften the driver behind a plan or change, or with what is driven in front: a pony driver.
Similarinstigator
Less common meanings
- 5A golf club made to hit the ball a very long way.
Like the biggest hitter on a team, kept ready for the longest shots.
He pulled out his driver for the long opening hole.
She swung the driver and sent the ball down the fairway.
UsageYou hit a driver off the tee. The shot is called a drive.
Note
- 6The part of a speaker or headphone that turns electric signals into sound.
Like a tiny drum that pushes air back and forth to make sound.
This headphone uses a single driver in each ear.
A blown driver can make the speaker sound distorted.
Similartransducer, speaker
Note
- 7Anything that makes another thing move or work, like a machine part that turns another part.
The spring is the driver that moves all the clock's gears.
A small motor acts as the driver for the whole machine.
- 8A tool or bit used to turn screws or nuts.
He grabbed a driver to tighten the loose screw.
Use the right driver so you don't strip the screw head.
Similarscrewdriver
- 9
- 10
- 11One of the big powered wheels on a train engine.
- 12A hammer used to knock something into place.
- 13A sail at the back of a big sailing ship, on the last mast. It is also called a spanker.
- 14A metal bar used to press or pack material down firmly.
- 15A hammer that a barrel maker uses to knock hoops onto a barrel.
Practice
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Origin
From Middle English drivere, made from the verb drive plus -er.
Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 2 facts
- Driver comes from Middle English drivere. en.wiktionary.org
- The word is formed from the verb drive plus the suffix -er. en.wiktionary.org