a person who participates in or is skilled at some game
"After hours of practice, she finally mastered the complex strategy and became an expert player in chess tournaments."
someone who plays a musical instrument (as a profession)
"The jazz player at the club has been performing for over twenty years without ever missing a night."
a theatrical performer
"The veteran player took the lead role in tonight's production of Hamlet."
a person who pursues a number of different social and sexual partners simultaneously
"After he broke up with his girlfriend, it became clear that he was nothing more than a player who had been seeing other women all along."
someone who takes part in an activity
"he was a major player in setting up the corporation"
One that plays
"The new player joined the team during halftime and immediately scored a goal."
One who plays any game or sport.
"The referee blew the whistle to let the player know they had committed a foul during the match."
In plain English: A player is someone who takes part in a game or sport.
"The football player scored a touchdown in the last minute of the game."
Usage: A player is someone who participates in a game or sport, such as an athlete on a team or a person holding cards during poker. In modern usage, it also refers to a musician who performs instruments or a device used to play media like CDs and DVDs.
An occupational surname, from occupations for a sportsman.
"The genealogist noted that the Player family name likely originated when an ancestor took up employment as a footballer in the late 19th century."
The word player comes from the Old English term for an athlete or wrestler and entered Middle English before evolving into its modern form. It is formed by adding the suffix -er to the verb play, indicating a person who performs that action.