# leader

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈliː.də(ɹ)/ · frequency rank #1,195

## Definitions
1. Any person who leads or directs.
2. Any person who leads or directs.
3. Any person who leads or directs.
4. Any person who leads or directs.
5. Any person who leads or directs.
6. Any person who leads or directs.
7. Any person who leads or directs.
8. An animal that leads.
9. An animal that leads.
10. An animal that leads.
11. Someone or something that leads or conducts.
12. Someone or something that leads or conducts.
13. Someone or something that leads or conducts.
14. Someone or something that leads or conducts.
15. Someone or something that leads or conducts.
16. Someone or something that leads or conducts.
17. Someone or something that leads or conducts.
18. Someone or something that leads or conducts.
19. Someone or something that leads or conducts.
20. Someone or something that leads or conducts.
21. Someone or something that leads or conducts.
22. Someone or something that leads or conducts.
23. Someone or something that leads or conducts.
24. Someone or something that leads or conducts.

## Etymology
From Middle English leder, ledere, from Old English lǣdere (“leader”), from Proto-West Germanic *laidijārī (“leader”), equivalent to lead + -er. Cognate with Scots ledar, leidar (“leader”), West Frisian lieder (“leader”), Dutch leider (“leader”), German Leiter (“leader, conductor, manager”), Danish leder (“leader, manager”), Swedish ledare (“leader, conductor, director”), Icelandic leiðari (“leader, conductor”).

## Easily confused with
- **lear** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leader-vs-lear)
- **leer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leader-vs-leer)
- **leave** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leader-vs-leave)
- **leads** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leader-vs-leads)
- **lease** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leader-vs-lease)
- **lever** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leader-vs-lever)
- **leper** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leader-vs-leper)
- **leger** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leader-vs-leger)
- **letter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leader-vs-letter)
- **leaves** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leader-vs-leaves)
- **loaded** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leader-vs-loaded)
- **lesser** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leader-vs-lesser)
- **leaked** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leader-vs-leaked)
- **louder** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leader-vs-louder)
- **Lester** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leader-vs-lester)
- **lender** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leader-vs-lender)
- **leased** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leader-vs-leased)
- **ledger** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leader-vs-ledger)
- **leaned** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leader-vs-leaned)
- **leases** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/leader-vs-leases)

## Common misspellings (8)
`elader`, `laeder`, `leadder`, `leaderr`, `leadre`, `leaedr`, `ledaer`, `lleader`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/leader