# player

Pronunciation: US say "PLAY-ur" /ˈpleɪɚ/; UK say "PLAY-uh" /ˈpleɪə(ɹ)/

## Noun

1. A person who takes part in a game or sport, including a video game.
   - Simple: Someone who plays a game or sport.
   - _Every player must check in with the referee before kickoff._
   - _Five players were named to the all-star roster this season._
2. A participant in something; one who is actively involved in an activity or situation.
   - Simple: A person, company, or group that takes part in an activity or event.
   - _She became a key player in the negotiations._
   - _Several major players entered the renewable energy market last year._
3. A device or computer program for playing recorded sound or video.
   - Simple: A machine or app that plays recorded sound or video.
   - _Before the long flight, he loaded his old MP3 player with podcasts and a few audiobooks._
   - _Most modern players support a wide range of file formats._
4. A person who performs on a musical instrument.
   - Simple: Someone who plays a musical instrument.
   - _A good jazz bass player knows when to stay in the background and let the soloist shine._
   - _Skilled players can sight-read complex scores at first glance._
5. A person who pursues casual romantic encounters rather than a committed, long-term relationship. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: Someone who dates many people instead of settling into one serious relationship.
   - _She stopped returning his calls once she realized he was a player juggling three girlfriends at once._
   - _Dating apps are full of players looking for nothing serious._
6. A person who gambles, especially at cards or other games of chance.
   - Simple: Someone who bets money on games of chance.
   - _A smart player at the roulette table sets a limit before the first bet and walks away once it is gone._
   - _Casinos reward their biggest players with free rooms and meals._
7. An actor who performs a role in a dramatic play.
   - Simple: Someone who acts a part in a play or drama.
   - _The touring company was small, so each player had to take two or three roles and change costumes quickly between scenes._
   - _Traveling players once performed in inn yards and town squares._
8. Anyone or anything that plays, in any sense of the verb 'play', such as a child playing with toys.
   - Simple: A person or thing that plays.
   - _The kitten is a tireless player, chasing anything that rolls along the floor._
   - _The festival drew players of every kind, from musicians to gamers._

## Noun

9. A playful person without serious aims; an idler or trifler. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: Someone who is playful and not serious, or who just wastes time.

## Other meanings

- (noun) A participant in a particular kind of sexual activity or scene.
- (noun) A mechanism that drives a self-playing piano or similar automatic musical instrument.

## Origin

From Middle English pleyer, from Old English pleġere ("player, athlete, wrestler"), which goes back to Proto-West Germanic. It is simply "play" plus the suffix "-er."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/player (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).