player

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player [noun] (SOUNDS/PICTURES)

a machine for playing music, sound, or pictures

US /ˈpleɪ.ɚ/ 
UK /ˈpleɪ.ər/ 
Example: 

a CD/DVD player

Oxford Essential Dictionary

player

 noun

1 a person who plays a game:
football players

2 a person who plays a musical instrument:
a trumpet player

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

player

I. playa /ˈpleɪjʌ/ BrE AmE (also player) noun [countable] spoken informal
a man who is good at meeting women and persuading them to have sex with him
II. player S2 W1 /ˈpleɪə $ -ər/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Word Family: noun: ↑play, ↑interplay, ↑replay, ↑player, ↑playfulness; verb: ↑play, ↑outplay, ↑replay; adjective: ↑playful, ↑playable; adverb: ↑playfully]
1. someone who takes part in a game or sport:
a basketball player
2. one of the important people, companies, countries etc that is involved in and influences a situation, especially one involving competition
a major/dominant/key etc player
a firm that is a dominant player on Wall Street
player in/on
a key player in world affairs
3. a CD/record/video etc player a machine that is used to play CDs, videos etc
4. someone who plays a musical instrument:
a guitar player
5. a man who has sexual relationships with many different women
6. old-fashioned an actor
key mover/player at ↑key2

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

player

play·er [player players]   [ˈpleɪə(r)]    [ˈpleɪər]  noun
1. a person who takes part in a game or sport
a tennis/rugby/chess, etc. player
a game for four players
• a midfield player

• We've lost two key players through injury.

2. a company or person involved in a particular area of business or politics
The company has emerged as a major player in the London property market.

see also  team player

3. (in compounds) a machine for reproducing sound or pictures that have been recorded on CDs, etc

• a CD/DVD/cassette/record player

4. (usually in compounds) a person who plays a musical instrument

• a trumpet player

5. (old-fashioned) (especially in names) an actor
Phoenix Players present ‘Romeo and Juliet’.  
Thesaurus:
player noun C
She's one of the country's top tennis players.
athleterunner|especially BrE sportsmansportswomansportsperson|AmE, informal, sometimes disapproving jock
a top/great/keen player/athlete/runner/sportsman, etc.
a/an all-round/amateur/professional player/athlete/sportsman, etc.
a/an player/athlete/runner/sportsman, etc. competes (in sth) 
Example Bank:
The club was forced to sell their star player.
The team has drafted some good players in recent years.
Their company is a major player in the London property market.
These boots are for the professional rather than for the average player.
one of the country's top tennis players
At that time, he was one of the most famous baseball players in America.
He proved an excellent chess player.
She's a former international netball player for New Zealand.
• They're both attacking players who've scored 37 of the team's 40 goals this season.

• We've lost two key players through injury.

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
 

player / ˈpleɪ.ə r /   / -ɚ / noun [ C ] (SOUNDS/PICTURES)

A2 a person who plays a musical instrument:

a recorder/piano player

A2 a machine for playing music, sound, or pictures:

a CD/DVD player

 

player / ˈpleɪ.ə r /   / -ɚ / noun [ C ] (ACTING)

old use an actor used in the names of some theatre companies:

the Shakespeare Players

 

player / ˈpleɪ.ə r /   / -ɚ / noun [ C ] (GAME)

A1 someone who takes part in a game or sport:

Each player takes three cards.

The team has many talented players.

someone who is very involved in an activity or organization:

She was a leading/key player in the reorganization of the health service.

© Cambridge University Press 2013

Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

player

[ple͟ɪə(r)]
 
 players
 1) N-COUNT A player in a sport or game is a person who takes part, either as a job or for fun.
  ...his greatness as a player...
  She was a good golfer and tennis player.
  ...top chess-players.
 2) N-COUNT You can use player to refer to a musician. For example, a piano player is someone who plays the piano.
  ...a professional trumpet player.
 3) N-COUNT: oft supp N, N in n If a person, country, or organization is a player in something, they are involved in it and important in it.
  Big business has become a major player in the art market...
  America is not a party to the negotiations, yet it is a key player...
 4) N-COUNT A player is an actor.
  ...a company of players...
  Oscar nominations went to all five leading players.
 5) → See also cassette player, CD player, record player, team player

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

player
 

play·er /ˈplejɚ/ noun, pl -ers [count]
1 : a person who plays a sport or game
• She's one of the team's best players.
• a star baseball player
• professional poker players
- see also team player
2 : a person who performs music usually on a particular instrument
• The band's lead guitar player hurt his hand and couldn't play.
• Piano players are called pianists.
3 : a machine that causes recorded sounds or pictures to be heard or seen
• a record/DVD/CD player
4 : a person who participates in a usually competitive field or activity
• She is a key/major/top player in genetics research.
• one of the industry's inside players
5 old-fashioned : an actor or actress
• a traveling band of players
• Even the movie's bit players [=people who perform very small roles] are excellent.
6 US slang : a person and especially a man who has sexual relationships with more than one person at the same time
• That guy's a player.