leader
/ˈliːdə(r)/
1 a person who leads a group of people, especially the head of a country, an organization, etc.
party/world leaders
a religious/political leader
He was elected as leader of the Democratic Party.
She became leader of the campaign group.
Union leaders agreed to begin talks with the government.
Tomorrow the President will meet with business leaders.
He was not a natural leader.
She's a born leader.
Collocations
adjective
verb + leader
phrases
the leader of the Opposition
the leader of the pack
2 a person or thing that is the best, or in first place in a race, business, etc.
She was among the leaders of the race from the start.
The company has emerged as a world leader in the field of precision engineering.
Collocations
adjective
verb + leader
preposition
behind the leader
leader in
3 (British English) (also concertmaster especially in North American English)
the most important violin player in an orchestra
4 (also leading article (both British English), editorial British and North American English) an important article in a newspaper that expresses the editor's opinion about an item of news or an issue; in the US also a comment on radio or television that expresses the opinion of the station or network
e.g.