sweeper
n.n. a person who cleans floors or a machine that does this. In some areas, it is also a casual way to describe a person who is very good at a specific sport or activity.
n. a person who cleans floors or a mechanical device designed for this task. In specific regional dialects, it serves as a colloquial term for a highly skilled individual in a particular field.
The sweeper cleaned the hall before the guests arrived.
The local football team is looking for a new sweeper to strengthen their defense.
While the primary role of the sweeper is to maintain cleanliness, in certain sports contexts, the term refers to a player who acts as a last line of defense against opposing attacks.
From Middle English swepere, swepare, equivalent to sweep + -er. Cognate with Middle Low German swēpære, swēper (“broom for sweeping up debris”).