Advertisement

Origin and history of leader

leader(n.)

Old English lædere "one who leads, one first or most prominent," agent noun from lædan "to guide, conduct" (see lead (v.)). Cognate with Old Frisian ledera, Dutch leider, Old High German leitari, German Leiter. As a title for the head of an authoritarian state, from 1918 (translating Führer, Duce, caudillo, etc.). Meaning "writing or statement meant to begin a discussion or debate" is late 13c.; in modern use often short for leading article (1807) "opinion piece in a British newspaper" (leader in this sense attested from 1837). The golf course leader board so called from 1970.

Entries linking to leader

lead(v.1)

"to guide," Old English lædan (transitive) "cause to go with oneself; march at the head of, go before as a guide, accompany and show the way; carry on; sprout forth, bring forth; pass (one's life)," causative of liðan "to travel," from Proto-Germanic *laidjanan (according to Watkins from PIE *leit- (2) "to go forth").

Of roads by c. 1200. The meaning "be in first place" is by late 14c. The intransitive sense, "act the part of a leader," is from 1570s. The sense in card-playing, "to commence a round or trick," is from 1670s. The meaning "take the directing part in a musical performance or prayer" is attested by 1849. Related: Led; leading.

To lead with one's chin "leave oneself vulnerable in a contest" (1946) is a figure from boxing. To lead on "entice to advance" is from 1590s. To figuratively lead (someone) by the nose "guide by persuasion" is from 1580s, from draught animals (earlier lead by the sleeve, early 15c.). To lead (someone) a dance "compel through a course of irksome actions" is from 1520s.

Germanic cognates include Old Saxon lithan, Old Norse liða "to go," Old High German ga-lidan "to travel," Gothic ga-leiþan "to go."

cheerleader(n.)

also cheer-leader, "performer of cheers, chants, dancing, etc. in support of a sports team," 1900, American English, from cheer (n.) + leader. Cheerleading is attested from 1906.

Advertisement

Trends of leader

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

More to explore

chief
c. 1300, "head, leader, captain; the principal or most important part of anything;" from Old French chief "leader, ruler,...head" of something, "capital city" (10c., Modern French chef), from Vulgar Latin *capum, from Latin caput "head," also "leader...
captain
late 14c., capitayn, "a leader, chief, one who stands at the head of others," from Old French capitaine "captain, leader,...Sporting sense "leader of the players on a team" is recorded by 1823....
demagogue
1640s, "an unprincipled popular orator or leader; one who seeks to obtain political power by pandering to the prejudices,...wishes, ignorance, and passions of the people or a part of them," ultimately from Greek dēmagōgos "popular leader," also..."leader of the mob," from dēmos "people, common people" (originally "district," from PIE *da-mo- "division," from root *...da- "to divide") + agōgos "leader," from agein "to lead" (from PIE root *ag- "to drive, draw out or forth, move")....
conductor
Meaning "a director or manager" is from 1630s; specific sense of "leader of an orchestra or chorus" is from 1784....The office of conductor in the modern sense was not clearly distinguished from that of leader until about 1800; formerly...the leader played an instrument, usually the harpsichord [Century Dictionary]...
follow
Sense of "accept as leader or guide, obey or be subservient to" was in late Old English....The children's game follow my leader is attested by that name from 1812 (as follow the leader by 1896)....
omerta
Mafia code of obedience to the leader and silence about the organization and its business, 1909, from Italian omertà, a dialectal...
rodomontade
Furioso" (earlier in Boiardo's "Orlando Innamorato," Century Dictionary describes him as "a brave but somewhat boastful leader...
head
Old English heafod "top of the body," also "upper end of a slope," also "chief person, leader, ruler; capital city," from Proto-Germanic *haubid (source also of Old Saxon hobid, Old Norse hofuð, Old Frisian haved, Middle Dutch hovet, Dutch hoofd, Old High German houbit, German Ha
commander
"one who has the authority or power to command or order," early 14c., comandur, from Old French comandeor "commander, commandant," from comander "to order, enjoin" (see command (v.)). Commander in chief "commander of all the armies of a state" is attested from 1650s. In the U.S.,
superior
late 14c., "higher in position," from Old French superior "higher, upper" (Modern French superieur), from Latin superiorem (nominative superior) "higher," comparative of superus "situated above, upper," from super "above, over" (from PIE root *uper "over"). The meaning "higher in

Share leader

Advertisement
Trending
Dictionary entries near leader
Advertisement