Definitions

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

  • noun A player in a sport with goals, such as a guard in basketball, who initiates offensive plays.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A writer of plays.

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

  • noun rare A playwright.

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

  • noun dated A playwright.
  • noun US, sports A sportsman who leads attacks for his team and creates chances to score.

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

  • noun a player in a team sport who leads attacks or maneuvers in such a way that a teammate can score

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • But the 6-4 junior was the one consistent threat the Cougars had throughout and emerged as the likely main playmaker for this fall.

    Around the Pac-10 Conference 2010

  • Unlike last summer, when training camp was a hectic crash course after McNair arrived in mid-June following an acrimonious divorce from the Titans, Baltimore's most important playmaker is rested and acclimated.

    Time running out for Ravens' 34-year-old McNair 2007

  • Although Landesberg is great with the ball, I see his strength as being a scorer — and then secondarily a playmaker from the wing position.

    Florida reloads with stellar group from Class of '08 2007

  • This 6-foot playmaker is little only on conventional scales.

    USATODAY.com - Another legend grows in Brooklyn 2003

  • In fact, the young and restless Nets might be the conference's only consistent contender for the immediate future — as long as a certain playmaker doesn't pick up his dribble and head for the door.

    USATODAY.com - Kidd you not: Stay put in Jersey 2003

  • '' They work hard, '' McNabb said of the often-maligned receiving group that's lacked a big-name playmaker since Terrell Owens was kicked off the team in 2005.

    USATODAY.com 2008

  • Say what you want but that to me spells out playmaker, which is what you want in the NFL.

    News - chicagotribune.com 2011

  • Although the newcomers do not include a striker, they do include a new goalkeeper, David De Gea from Atletico Madrid, and Ferguson might still reel in Dutch playmaker Wesley Sneijder from Inter Milan.

    News - latimes.com 2011

  • A gifted player previously known as a playmaker first and a scorer second tied for his first

    The Shad Plank 2010

  • Their playmaker has been a key figure in this, as authoritative from open play as he is from set-pieces.

    The Times of India 2010

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