player

plural players

1. One that plays.
   1. One who plays any game or sport.

      He is a player for the Australian team.

      Synonyms: laker

   2. entertainmentAn actor in a dramatic play.

      All the world's a ſtage, / And all the men and women, merely Players

      c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene vii], page 194, column 1

   3. entertainmentOne who plays on a musical instrument.
   4. gamesA gamer; a person of video games or similar.

      He is an avid Minecraft player.

      1 more example

      The player is free to create their own narrative within a much larger set of possible designed narrative options, or, given the geographic and dialogical openness of Morrowind, to refuse the creation of any narrative but their own and wander aimlessly through the game.

      2015, Angus Slater, “Prophecy, Pre-destination, and Free-form Gameplay: The Nerevarine Prophecy in Bethesda’s ‘Morrowind’”, in Online: Heidelberg Journal of Religions on the Internet, volume 7, →DOI, page 175

   5. gamblingA gambler.
   6. historicalA mechanism that actuates a player piano or other automatic musical instrument.

      Electric players used either a four-lobe rotary pump belt-driven by an electric motor or a self-contained electric motor and ...

      1970, Arthur W. J. G. Ord-Hume, Player piano: the history of the mechanical piano and how to repair it

      2 more examples

      But up to this time the application of the player mechanism had been confined to reed instruments, the piano manufacturers having successfully resisted the introduction of the player mechanism into the piano; but, in the meantime, the manufacturers of players had grown strong and the manufacturers were beginning to properly interpret the handwriting on the wall

      1915, John McTammany, The Technical History of the Player

      A Technical Treatise on Piano Player Mechanism" contains detailed description of the various types of interior and exterior players, embracing manual, pneumatic, automatic, mechanical and electric

      1909, William Braid White, Regulation and Repair of Piano and Player Mechanism, ..., page 179

   7. businessAn electronic device that plays audio or video media.

      Is your CD player broken, or is this one disc damaged?

   8. computingA software application that plays audio or video media, such as a media player.
2. One who is playful; one without serious aims; an idler; a trifler.
3. A participant; one involved in something.

   a major player in the direct banking sector

   4 more examples

   He thought he could become a player, at least at the state level.

   Decision realities research recognizes the occupational tribalism identified in occupational realities research, but goes further by paying attention to all the players – patients and lay caregivers included – who participate in negotiating care.

   2011, Suzanne Shale, Moral Leadership in Medicine, page 239

   Another Bush — George W.’s brother Jeb — is likely to be a big player in the Republican Party’s future.

   2012 November 7, Matt Bai, “Winning a Second Term, Obama Will Confront Familiar Headwinds”, in New York Times

   As the biggest rail player, Network Rail was usually held accountable for failings, but had no authority to change anything to solve the problems. The DfT had been given that authority in 2004 - but consistently ducked accountability.

   2021 March 10, Nigel Harris, “It's time to get on with it!”, in RAIL, number 926, page 3

   1. One who participates in a particular type of sexual play.

      In this space we explored lesbian sadomasochism, met other S/M women who were serious players, had access to safe equipment and, through watching other women, learned new techniques.

      1991 April 22, Wickie Stamps, “A Lesbian Looks At The GMSMA's 10ᵗʰ Anniversary Celebration”, in Gay Community News, page 11

4. informalA person who plays the field rather than having a long-term sexual relationship.

   Thunder only happens when it’s rainin’ / Players only love you when they’re playin’ / Say women, they will come and they will go / When the rain washes you clean, you’ll know

   1977, Stevie Nicks, “Dreams”, in Rumours, performed by Fleetwood Mac, Warner Bros.

   Synonyms: adulterer, bed-hopper, carpetmonger, chamberer, debauchee, debaucher, fornicator, gallant

plural Players

1. A surname originating as an occupation for a sportsman.