leader

noun Date: 14th century 1. something that leads: as a. a primary or terminal shoot of a plant b. tendon, sinew c. plural dots or hyphens (as in an index) used to lead the eye horizontally ; ellipsis 2 d. chiefly British a newspaper editorial e. (1) something for guiding fish into a trap (2) a short length of material for attaching the end of a fishing line to a lure or hook f. loss leader g. something that ranks first h. a blank section at the beginning or end of a reel of film or recorded tape 2. a person who leads: as a. guide, conductor b. (1) a person who directs a military force or unit (2) a person who has commanding authority or influence c. (1) the principal officer of a British political party (2) a party member chosen to manage party activities in a legislative body (3) such a party member presiding over the whole legislative body when the party constitutes a majority d. (1) conductor c (2) a first or principal performer of a group 3. a horse placed in advance of the other horses of a team • leaderless adjective