The leader of a group of people or an organization is the person who is in control of it orin charge of it.
We now need a new leader of the party and a new style of leadership. [+ of]
We are going to hold a rally next month to elect a new leader.
2. countable noun
The leader at a particular point in a race or competition is the person who is winning at that point.
The leaders came in two minutes clear of the field.
The world drivers' championship leader crossed the line ahead of the Swede.
3. countable noun
The leader among a range of products or companies is the one that is most successful.
Procter & Gamble is the leader in the mass market cosmetics industry. [+ in]
Synonyms: front runner, pioneer, leading light, leading company More Synonyms of leader
4. countable noun
The leader of an orchestra is the most senior violin player, who acts as a deputy to the conductor.
[British]regional note: in AM, use concertmaster
5. countable noun
The leader of an orchestra is the conductor.
[US]
6. countable noun
A leader in a newspaper is a piece of writing which gives the editor's opinion on an important news item.
[British]regional note: in AM, use editorial
7. countable noun
A leader in a newspaper is the most important story in it.
[US]regional note: in BRIT, use lead, lead story
More Synonyms of leader
leader in British English
(ˈliːdə)
noun
1.
a person who rules, guides, or inspires others; head
2. music
a. Also called (esp US and Canadian): concertmaster
the principal first violinist of an orchestra, who plays solo parts, and acts as the conductor's deputy and spokesperson for the orchestra
b. US
a conductor or director of an orchestra or chorus
3.
a.
the first person on a climbing rope
b.
the leading horse or dog in a team
4. mainly US and Canadian
an article offered at a sufficiently low price to attract customers
See also loss leader
5.
a statistic or index that gives an advance indication of the state of the economy
6. Also called: leading article mainly British
the leading editorial in a newspaper
7. angling another word for trace2 (sense 2), cast (sense 32a)
8. nautical another term for fairlead
9.
a strip of blank film or tape used to facilitate threading a projector, developing machine, etc, and to aid identification
10. (plural) printing
rows of dots or hyphens used to guide the reader's eye across a page, as in a table of contents
11. botany
any of the long slender shoots that grow from the stem or branch of a tree: usually removed during pruning
12. British
a member of the Government having primary authority in initiating legislative business (esp in the phrases Leader of the House of Commons and Leader of the House of Lords)
13.
the senior barrister, usually a Queen's Counsel, in charge of the conduct of a case
Compare junior (sense 6)
Derived forms
leaderless (ˈleaderless)
adjective
leader in American English
(ˈlidər)
noun
1.
a person or thing that leads; directing, commanding, or guiding head, as of a group or activity
2.
a horse harnessed before all others in the same hitch or as one of the two horses in the foremost span
3.
a pipe for carrying fluid
; specif.,
a.
downspout
b.
a hot-air duct in a heating system
4.
a tendon
5.
a section of blank film or recording tape at the beginning of a reel, for use in threading, etc.
6. US
a featured article of trade, esp. one offered at an attractively low price
see also loss leader
7. Botany
the central or dominant stem of a plant, esp. of a tree
8. US, Fishing
a short piece of catgut, nylon, etc. used to attach the hook or lure to the fish line
9. Journalism
leading article
10. Music
a.
a conductor, esp. of a dance band
b.
the main performer in an instrumental or vocal section, generally given the solo passages
11. Nautical
fair-lead
12. [pl.]; Printing
dots, dashes, etc. in a line, used to direct the eye across the page, as in a table of contents
Derived forms
leaderless (ˈleaderless)
adjective
COBUILD Collocations
leader
business leaders
church leaders
council leader
deputy leader
elected leader
opposition leader
political leaders
spiritual leader
union leaders
Examples of 'leader' in a sentence
leader
Northampton would have been within at least three points of the leaders.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We need more leaders in the team.
The Sun (2016)
The sun makes you a natural team leader.
The Sun (2017)
The charitable explanation is that a new leader is taking time to adjust to the requirements of her role.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Her father was leader of the opposition, then deputy leader.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Myanmar swore in its first elected civilian leader in more than 50 years.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
European leaders also pointed out that Britain was spending less on public services than they were.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Union leaders say new doctors with six years' training get less than police recruits.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
There were attempts to end the infighting that has dogged the party since the leader's first election victory last year.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It is understood that the four unanimously told their leader to press ahead with his plan.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
All teams need leaders and it is not something you can easily quantify.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
There is usually a team leader or team captain.
Peter F. Drucker MANAGEMENT: task, responsibilities, practices (1974)
There is pressure on the new leaders to act.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Nobody much liked the first leader but they respected him and the job got done.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The optimist in me considers this good news because it means that the masses are aheadof their leaders.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
He insisted it would have been difficult for the operation to have gone ahead without the leader of the country knowing.
The Sun (2010)
The position of deputy leader of the Labour party has no formal constitutional status.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
She's been doing it since she was elected deputy leader.
The Sun (2009)
Not the prettiest points the leaders have won, but in adversity they were precious.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
There is not much pace here, but the tip usually tracks the leaders.
The Sun (2008)
Meanwhile, world leaders scrambled for new ways to prop up the euro.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The Soviet leader usually rose at midday and alerted his bodyguards that he was awake.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Labour's new leader will not be given that long.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The Spanish league leaders were ahead after only six minutes.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
He insists impartiality is improving, claiming regular invitations to Coalition leaders prove his point.
The Sun (2010)
When caught, the leader becomes the person in the centre, and a new leader is appointed.
Aiken, Nick Working with Teenagers (1994)
Leadership and Power A leader is a person who is able to influence the behavior of other membersof a group.
Appelbaum, Richard P. Sociology (1995)
In other languages
leader
British English: leader /ˈliːdə/ NOUN
The leader of an organization or a group of people is the person who is in charge of it.
Members today will elect a new leader.
American English: leader
Arabic: قَائِدٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: líder
Chinese: 领导者
Croatian: vođa
Czech: vůdce
Danish: leder
Dutch: leider
European Spanish: líder
Finnish: johtaja
French: chef dirigeant
German: Führer
Greek: ηγέτης
Italian: leader
Japanese: リーダー
Korean: 지도자
Norwegian: leder
Polish: lider
European Portuguese: líder
Romanian: lider
Russian: лидер
Latin American Spanish: líder
Swedish: ledare
Thai: ผู้นำ
Turkish: lider
Ukrainian: керівник
Vietnamese: người lãnh đạo
All related terms of 'leader'
band leader
the leader of a group of musicians , esp those playing popular music
form leader
a pupil elected by other pupils to lead or represent their form
loss leader
A loss leader is an item that is sold at such a low price that it makes a loss in the hope that customers will be attracted by it and buy other goods at the same shop .
team leader
the leader of a team , esp in business
brand leader
The brand leader of a particular product is the brand of it that most people choose to buy .
deputy leader
The leader of a group of people or an organization is the person who is in control of it or in charge of it.
floor leader
a member of a legislative body who organizes his or her party's activities
leader board
a scoreboard listing the contestants who are currently leading a golf tournament , auto race, etc.
leader writer
A writer is a person who writes books, stories , or articles as a job.
market leader
A market leader is a company that sells more of a particular product or service than most of its competitors do.
party leader
a leader of a political party
patrol leader
the leader of a division of a troop of Scouts or Guides
Scout Leader
the leader of a troop of Scouts
world leader
A world leader is someone who is the leader of a country, especially an economically powerful country.
youth leader
a person who has responsibility for the young people at a youth club etc
council leader
The leader of a group of people or an organization is the person who is in control of it or in charge of it.
elected leader
The leader of a group of people or an organization is the person who is in control of it or in charge of it.
project leader
someone who leads a proposal , scheme , or design
squadron leader
A squadron leader is an officer of middle rank in the British air force.
community leader
a leading figure in a community
opposition leader
The leader of a group of people or an organization is the person who is in control of it or in charge of it.
religious leader
a person who is recognised within a particular religion as having authority within that body
spiritual leader
The leader of a group of people or an organization is the person who is in control of it or in charge of it.
follow-my-leader
a game in which the players must repeat the actions of the leader
follow-the-leader
a game in which the players must repeat the actions of the leader
Leader of the House of Commons
a member of the Government having primary authority in initiating legislative business
Leader of the House of Lords
a member of the Government having primary authority in initiating legislative business