In Britain, a Leader Is Also a Newspaper Editorial
A leader is one who leads. British journalism uses the same word for the paper's unsigned opinion column.
A leader is a person who leads. British newspapers use it for something else entirely: the *leader* is the main unsigned editorial expressing the paper's own view, and the writers are *leader writers*. Americans say editorial. The word also names the blank strip of film or tape at the start of a reel.
- One who leads. *A natural leader.*
- A newspaper editorial (British). *Today's leader.*
- A blank strip at the start of a reel. *Film leader.*
- Loss leader — a product sold cheaply to attract custom. *Milk as a loss leader.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | leader | A team leader. |
| Plural | leaders | Party leaders. |
| Verb | lead | Lead the way. |
| Noun | leadership | Strong leadership. |
| Related | leading | A leading role. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The leader column takes a firm line.British journalism.
- Milk is often a loss leader.Retail.
- Lead the metal is a different word.Pronounced *led*.
Leader in different fields
- Politics — the head of a party or country
- Journalism — the unsigned editorial, in Britain
- Retail — a loss leader, priced below cost to draw customers
- Film and tape — the blank strip protecting the start
- Angling — the length of line between the main line and the hook
From *lead*, Old English *lædan*, to guide. The metal *lead* is an unrelated word from Old English *lead*.
Leader or editorial?
Leader is British, editorial American. Both name the unsigned column stating the paper's opinion.
What is a loss leader?
A product deliberately sold below cost to draw customers into a shop, in the expectation they will buy other things.