Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun One that starts.
  • noun An attachment for starting an internal-combustion engine without hand cranking.
  • noun A device that initiates a flow of high voltage across the electrodes of a fluorescent lamp.
  • noun One who signals the start of a race.
  • noun A participant that starts in a game or race.
  • noun The first pitcher for a team in a game.
  • noun A pitcher who regularly begins games for a team.
  • noun The first in a series, especially the first course of a meal; an appetizer.
  • idiom (for starters) To begin with; initially.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In cribbage, the cut card.
  • noun One who or that which starts.
  • noun One who sets out on a journey, a pursuit, a race, or the like.
  • noun One who or that which sets persons or things in motion, as a person who gives the signal for a race, or for the starting of a coach, car, boat, or other conveyance, or a lever or rod for setting an engine or a machine in motion.
  • noun A dog that starts game; a springer; a cocker.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun One who, or that which, starts.
  • noun A dog that rouses game.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Someone who starts something.
  • noun Something that starts something.
  • noun The first course of a meal, consisting of a small, usually savoury, dish.
  • noun sports A player in the starting lineup
  • noun A dog that rouses game.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a hand tool consisting of a rotating shaft with parallel handle
  • noun a contestant in a team sport who is in the game at the beginning
  • noun a culture containing yeast or bacteria that is used to start the process of fermentation or souring in making butter or cheese or dough
  • noun food or drink to stimulate the appetite (usually served before a meal or as the first course)
  • noun any new participant in some activity
  • noun an electric motor for starting an engine
  • noun the official who signals the beginning of a race or competition

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

start +‎ -er

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Examples

  • It is my belief Bodden will get the most snaps (I hate the term starter).

    Pats Pulpit 2009

  • It is my belief Bodden will get the most snaps (I hate the term starter).

    Pats Pulpit 2009

  • Since my starter is a medley (or mutt, if you will) of flours, I just used "whole wheat" as a baseline in my calculations.

    Archive 2009-01-01 Sarah 2009

  • Since my starter is a medley (or mutt, if you will) of flours, I just used "whole wheat" as a baseline in my calculations.

    A Sour(Dough) Start to the Year Sarah 2009

  • But I was startled to read that the starter is a sweet and rich version of sourdough - it is fed with protein-rich milk, sugar and flour, and * never* refrigerated!

    Archive 2007-08-01 Nupur 2007

  • How Cutler does in his first full season as a starter is the key to how the Broncos will finish.

    Denver needs Cutler to put new pieces together 2007

  • If his first season as a starter is an indication, he's in line for the kind of prolific career of former MAC quarterbacks such as Byron Leftwich and Ben Roethlisberger.

    USATODAY.com 2005

  • If his first season as a starter is an indication, he's in line for the kind of prolific career of former MAC quarterbacks such as Byron Leftwich and Ben Roethlisberger.

    USATODAY.com - Bowling Green's strong second half earns GMAC bowl win 2004

  • Most likely to become the starter is freshman Jake Heaps, who is simply the best passer available and showed an awful lot of preparedness and poise coming on campus before his senior year of high school was completed.

    Around the Mountain West Conference 2010

  • Following Virginia's 33-21 loss Saturday at Georgia Tech, Offensive Coordinator Bill Lazor said that at no point during the game did he contemplate replacing fifth-year senior quarterback Marc Verica -- the team's starter from the outset of the season -- with either redshirt freshman Ross Metheny or true freshman Michael Rocco.

    Lazor 'didn't consider' replacing Verica late against Georgia Tech Steve Yanda 2010

Comments

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  • "One who leaves a jolly company, a milksop; he is no starter, he will sit longer than a hen."

    - Francis Grose, 'The Vulgar Tongue'.

    September 11, 2008