Meanings
plural bearleaders · alternative bear-leader · alternative bear leader
- historicalSomeone who handles and keeps bears, especially for use in public entertainments such as bearbaiting or dancing displays; a bearward.First known use 16th c.
Synonyms: bearherd, bear warden
- broadlyhistoricalSomeone acting as a chaperone and tutor to a wealthy young man travelling abroad, especially in Europe.First known use 18th c.
They pounced upon the stray nobility, and seized young lords travelling with their bear leaders.
1846 February 28 – 1847 February 27, W[illiam] M[akepeace] Thackeray, “On Some Respectable Snobs”, in The Book of Snobs, London: Punch Office, […], published 1848, →OCLC, pages 29-303 more examples
So!—you have really undertaken the delightful office of bear-leader—becauſe the brother of your Geraldine cannot take care of himſelf— […]
1792, Charlotte Smith, “Letter II. To Mr. Desmond.”, in Desmond. […], volume I, London: […] G[eorge,] G[eorge,] J[ohn] and J[ames] Robinson, […], →OCLC, page 13[…] Nick, if you please, was pronounced delicate, and led a series of tutors a fine dance until his mother decided he was old enough for the Grand Tour and sent him off with a bear-leader like some young regency lordling.
1941, Ngaio Marsh, “Project”, in Death and the Dancing Footman, [London]: Fontana Books, William Collins Sons & Co, published September 1976, →ISBN, part 1, page 17In 1775 Lord Herbert [George Herbert, 11th Earl of Pembroke] toured Switzerland with his bearleader William Coxe (1747–1828).
1992, Jeremy Black, “Routes and Destinations”, in The British Abroad: The Grand Tour in the Eighteenth Century, Stroud, Gloucestershire: Sutton Publishing, published 2003, →ISBN, page 38 - broadlyhistoricalhumorousobsoleterareA captor; also, a guard, a jailer.First known use late 18th c.
My bear-leaders were considerably surprised with my firmness, but seemed to think it beneath them to contest with me the principles I delivered. […] They left me abruptly; having first ordered an old man, the father of the landlady, to stay in the room with me while they were absent.
1794, William Godwin, chapter VI, in Things as They Are; or, The Adventures of Caleb Williams. […], volume III, London: […] B. Crosby, […], →OCLC, page 114
Synonyms & antonyms
nounSomeone who handles and keeps bears, especially for use in public entertainments such as bearbaiting or dancing displays; a bearward.
Origin
Translations
Arabic جُعَيْدِيّ
- جُعَيْدِيّ (juʕaydiyy)someone who handles or keeps bears, especially for use in public entertainments
Bulgarian мечка́р, айда́р
- мечка́р (mečkár)someone who handles or keeps bears, especially for use in public entertainments
- айда́р (ajdár)someone who handles or keeps bears, especially for use in public entertainments
- айджи́я (ajdžíja)someone who handles or keeps bears, especially for use in public entertainments
Finnish karhun hoitaja, karhunkesyttäjä
- karhun hoitajasomeone who handles or keeps bears, especially for use in public entertainments
- karhunkesyttäjäsomeone who handles or keeps bears, especially for use in public entertainments
- valvojasomeone acting as a chaperone and tutor to a wealthy young man travelling abroad — see also chaperone
- kaitsijasomeone acting as a chaperone and tutor to a wealthy young man travelling abroad — see also chaperone
German Bärenbändiger, Bärenführer
- Bärenbändigersomeone who handles or keeps bears, especially for use in public entertainments
- Bärenführersomeone who handles or keeps bears, especially for use in public entertainments
- Bärendompteursomeone who handles or keeps bears, especially for use in public entertainments
- Bärenleitersomeone who handles or keeps bears, especially for use in public entertainments
Polish niedźwiednik, skomoroch
- niedźwiedniksomeone who handles or keeps bears, especially for use in public entertainments
- skomorochsomeone who handles or keeps bears, especially for use in public entertainments
Russian укроти́тель медве́дей, дрессиро́вщик медве́дей
- укроти́тель медве́дей (ukrotítelʹ medvédej)someone who handles or keeps bears, especially for use in public entertainments
- дрессиро́вщик медве́дей (dressiróvščik medvédej)someone who handles or keeps bears, especially for use in public entertainments
- медвежа́тник (medvežátnik)someone who handles or keeps bears, especially for use in public entertainments
- вожа́к медве́дя (vožák medvédja)someone who handles or keeps bears, especially for use in public entertainments
Turkish ayı lideri
- ayı liderisomeone acting as a chaperone and tutor to a wealthy young man travelling abroad — see also chaperone
Welsh canlynwr arth
- canlynwr arthsomeone who handles or keeps bears, especially for use in public entertainments
Cite this entry
bearleader. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bearleader
“bearleader.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bearleader. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “bearleader,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bearleader.
Source: bearleader on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.