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player

player

219 2.2
A person who performs music on an instrument for a living
  • noun
  • /ˈpleɪər/
translation icon : instrumentista
  • And now and now the bass player leaves.
  • piano player
  • guitar player
  • string player

And now and now the bass player leaves.

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Examples

  • I'm considered the best guitar player... maybe that ever lived.

  • So, his name is Billy Wheeler, and he's a piano player.

  • Thank you for being such a great jazz player on the stage.

  • And of course, being a jazz player, I changed it.

  • It's almost like nobody wants an accordion player in their band.

  • -Back home, I used to be a clarinet player for a year.

  • He is the bass player and the founder of The Slants.

  • Second, transcribing solos of a model jazz player offers important training for the jazz musician.

    Academic text (2011)
  • But my friend, the late trumpet player Donald Byrd, wisely said don't do that.

  • He is a talented player known for his exceptional skills on the violin.

Synonyms

musician
vsplayer
644 1.8

A person who plays or writes music for others

focuses only on performing an instrument professionally rather than composing
drummer
vsplayer
171 1.1

A person who plays drums in a band

is the broader occupational title for professional instrument players
guitarist
vsplayer
85 2.9

A person who plays the guitar in concerts or as a job

is the general occupational term for professional instrument playing
pianist
vsplayer
84 2.6

A person who plays the piano, often as a job or with great skill

is the general occupational term for anyone who plays instruments professionally
violinist
vsplayer
41 3.7

A person who plays the violin, often professionally

is the broader occupational label for professional instrument players
guitar player
vsplayer
38 1.3

A person who plays the guitar in songs or bands

is the wider role name for anyone earning a living from instruments
piano player
vsplayer
22 2.3

A person who plays the piano

is the broader role name covering professional instrument performance
jazz musician
vsplayer
22 2.3

A person who plays or writes jazz music

is the broader role name focused on playing instruments professionally
fiddler
vsplayer
16 4.3

A person who plays the violin often in folk music

is the more general professional instrument performer label regardless of style
saxophonist
vsplayer
12 4.4

A person who plays the saxophone, often as a professional musician

is the wider occupational term for professional instrument performers
percussionist
vsplayer
8 4.4

A musician who plays instruments you hit, like drums or cymbals

is the general role name for someone who plays instruments for pay
keyboardist
vsplayer
6 3.8

A musician who plays piano or other instruments with keys

is the general term for a person who plays instruments for a living
harpist
vsplayer
5 5.5

A person who plays the harp, often as a job or serious hobby

is the broader name for someone who plays instruments professionally
instrumentalist
vsplayer
5 5.3

A person who plays a musical instrument, often as a job

is the common role name for someone who plays instruments professionally
flutist
vsplayer
  • US
4 3.2

A person who plays the flute, often as a professional

is the broader occupational term for professional instrument performers
clarinetist
vsplayer
3 4.9

A musician who plays the clarinet

is the general job title for someone who plays instruments professionally
trombone player
vsplayer
3 3.2

A musician who plays the trombone in a band or orchestra

is the broader role name covering professional instrument performers
bagpiper
vsplayer
3 7.1

A person who plays a musical instrument made from a bag and pipes

is the general employment label for people who play instruments
trombonist
vsplayer
3 5.2

A person who plays a large brass instrument with a long slide in bands or orchestras

is the general occupational title for those who play instruments professionally
flute player
vsplayer
2 2.0

A person who plays the flute as a job or for fun

is the general role name for those who play instruments for pay
harper
vsplayer
1 7.8

A person who plays a large instrument with many strings that you pluck

is the more general role name for professional instrument performers
sitar player
vsplayer
1 6.9

A musician who plays the sitar, a long Indian instrument with strings

is the broader term for anyone who plays instruments professionally
harpsichordist
vsplayer
1 9.6

A person who plays the harpsichord as a professional musician

is the general occupational label for professional instrument performance
recorder player
vsplayer
1 4.6

A person who performs music on a small wooden wind instrument like a flute

is the broader job label for those who play instruments professionally
timpanist
vsplayer
1 9.5

A person who plays large tuned drums in an orchestra

is the broader label for professional performers on any instrument
band player
vsplayer
1 2.5

A person who plays an instrument in a band, for example a military band

is the general occupational term for anyone who plays instruments professionally
reedman
vsplayer
8.0

A musician who plays instruments like the clarinet or saxophone

is the broader professional label for any instrument performer
koto player
vsplayer
8.3

A musician who plays the koto, a traditional Japanese stringed instrument

is the wider role name for professional instrument performers
concertinist
vsplayer
9.9

A person who plays a small instrument like a tiny accordion with buttons

is the general occupational term for professional instrument playing
plucker
vsplayer
5.1

A person who plays a string instrument by pulling the strings with their fingers

is the general name for someone who earns a living playing instruments

Compounds

127 1.0

A person who plays football for a team

A person who plays baseball for a team or as a job

A person who plays basketball for a team, often professionally

42 1.5

A machine that plays music from CDs

40 3.2

An important person who helps decide what happens in a group

38 1.3

A person who plays the guitar in songs or bands

34 1.7

A person who plays hockey for fun or as a job

29 3.8

A person or company that has a lot of power in a field

26 1.0

A person who plays tennis as a sport or for a living

23 1.1

A person who plays soccer for a team or for fun

22 2.3

A person who plays the piano

20 3.0

A person who plays the card game poker, often as a job

18 3.0

A machine that plays music from vinyl discs using a needle

13 2.0

A team member who is the best and most important

13 2.6

A person who plays chess for fun or as a job

A person who plays the sport lacrosse

8 2.0

A person who plays games with cards like poker or bridge

A player who helps their team most during a season and wins an award

tape player
  • Archaic
7 2.0

A machine that uses cassette tapes to let you hear recorded music

cassette player
  • Archaic
5 2.7

A small machine that plays music from cassette tapes, often with speakers or a headphone jack

A person who plays volleyball for sport or fun

4 3.5

A person who hits balls with a cue on a pool table

4 6.5

A person who has a small role in a film or play

player piano
  • Archaic
3 6.7

A piano that plays by itself using a paper roll

A musician who plays the trombone in a band or orchestra

An actor who plays a small but important role in a film or play

2 2.0

A person who plays the flute as a job or for fun

role player
  • Jargon
2 3.9

A person who plays a fictional character in a game with others for fun

A person who plays the card game bridge for fun or as a job

A person who plays tennis and earns money from it

1 1.0

A person who plays golf for fun or as a job

1 4.9

A team member who can play several positions well in sports like baseball

A person who plays billiards for fun or as a job

1 6.9

A musician who plays the sitar, a long Indian instrument with strings

1 2.7

A person who plays darts for fun or as a job

1 2.5

A person who plays an instrument in a band, for example a military band

A person who performs music on a small wooden wind instrument like a flute

1 3.3

A person who plays a part in a play, movie, or show

player hater
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who is jealous and says bad things when someone is happy in a relationship

seeded player
  • Jargon
1 4.4

A player ranked among the best in a tournament who is placed to avoid other top players early

A musician who plays the koto, a traditional Japanese stringed instrument

hooky player
  • Informal
8.9

A student who stays away from school without permission

A person who skates on ice with a stick to score goals

A character in a game controlled by the game, not a player

7.4

A person who repeats the same words or actions without thinking

A player who does not start games and replaces starters when needed

A player who is third in line to replace other players and rarely plays

A person who can do several different jobs and move between roles when needed

How Skilled

virtuoso
12 8.0
player
219 2.2
amateur
122 2.8
beginner
81 1.0

Surface Forms

player singular
players plural

Morphology

player = play (transparent) = play + er

The word 'player' is transparently derived from 'play' with the suffix '-er' indicating a person who performs the action.

Etymology

Player comes from the simple verb play meaning 'to perform' or 'to make music' plus the ending -er meaning a person who does something, so a player is someone who performs on an instrument.