player
UK: ˈpleɪə | US: ˈpleɪər
n. a person who plays a game or sport
n. a participant in an activity or event
n. a device or component that plays media (e.g., music, video)
The word "player" combines the verb "play," derived from Old English plegian (to exercise, frolic), with the agentive suffix "-er," indicating a person or thing performing an action. This structure reflects a straightforward Germanic pattern of verb-to-noun conversion, where "-er" transforms an action into a role (e.g., "teach" → "teacher"). Over time, "player" expanded from its original sense of a game participant to include performers (e.g., musicians) and technological devices (e.g., "DVD player").
She is the best player on the soccer team.
The chess player strategized carefully before moving his pawn.
He dreams of becoming a professional piano player.
Insert the disc into the Blu-ray player.
The team recruited a new player for the upcoming season.