Word
playmaker
Phoneticsplay·mak·er
Definition
n. a player who is very good at creating chances for their team to score. In the past, this word was used for someone who organized a play or a game.
n. a player who is responsible for initiating and orchestrating offensive plays. Historically, it referred to a person who directed or managed a theatrical performance.
Examples
“The team's success depends on its star playmaker.”
“The coach signed a new playmaker to improve the team's ability to break through the opponent's defense.”
“While the modern playmaker is often a technical specialist, the historical role required a broader understanding of stagecraft and the ability to manage a large cast of actors.”
Examples
simple
“The team's success depends on its star playmaker.”
contextual
“The coach signed a new playmaker to improve the team's ability to break through the opponent's defense.”
complex
“While the modern playmaker is often a technical specialist, the historical role required a broader understanding of stagecraft and the ability to manage a large cast of actors.”
Real-World Examples
“Futi’s player style model classifies him as a “wide playmaker”; an attacker who likes to collect the ball out near the touchline and then break lines and create for teammates.” “Unable to shed the stench of Portugal’s World Cup, but he is the world’s finest deep-lying playmaker all the same.” Etymology
From play + maker.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/playmaker