WordGarden.ioleaguer
C2Pronunciation
UK
US
- /ˈliɡər/
Meanings
Noun
a player in a sports league
a member of a besieging force, or the camp of that force
Beyond the definition
Imagine a medieval castle with an army gathered outside its walls. A leaguer is one of the people in that force, or sometimes the camp itself, set up to surround a town or fortress during a siege. The word belongs mostly to older or historical writing and brings to mind tents, trenches, and a long wait before the walls give way.
In most real uses, it points to siege warfare rather than modern metaphor. If you see it in an old play, poem, or history book, it usually means the besieging camp or a soldier connected with that camp.
A leaguer is an old military word linked to siege warfare. It can mean a soldier in the force surrounding a fortified place, and in many older texts it can also mean the camp of that force itself. Picture an army outside a city, settled into tents and earthworks, trying to cut the place off and wear it down over time. That is the setting the word belongs to.
The term came into English from Dutch leger, meaning "camp," and it is related to beleaguer. Because of that history, the word often appears in older writing, especially in stories, plays, and accounts of war from earlier centuries. Shakespeare uses leaguer for the military camp, which helps show its older sense clearly.
Today, the word is rare and feels archaic. When it does appear, it usually keeps that historical meaning rather than a broad modern figurative one. So the safest understanding is simple: a leaguer is part of a besieging force, or the siege camp formed by that force around a town, city, or fortress.
Examples
- 1
Minor leagues
He spent five seasons as a minor leaguer before he finally got called up to the majors.
- Domainminor leaguer
a player in a lower professional league
- 2
Major leagues
The team hired a former major leaguer to coach its young hitters.
- Domainmajor leaguer
a player from the highest level, especially in baseball
- 3
Youth baseball
The photo shows him as a Little Leaguer, standing proudly with his first bat.
- DomainLittle Leaguer
a child who plays in Little League baseball
See also
Similar
- league player
- player
Shades of meaning
- ballplayer
- professional athlete
Used with (collocations)
- major leaguer
- minor leaguer
- big leaguer
Explore
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- leaguer