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View synonyms for starter

starter

[ stahr-ter ]

noun

  1. a person or thing that starts.
  2. a person who gives the signal to begin, as for a race, the running of a train, bus, elevator, etc.
  3. a device that starts an internal-combustion engine without a need for cranking by hand.
  4. a person or thing that starts in a race or contest:

    Only five starters finished the race.

  5. Also called start·er cul·ture [stahr, -ter kuhl-cher]. a culture of bacteria used to start a particular fermentation, as in the manufacture of cheese, buttermilk, sour cream, etc. mother 2.
  6. Also called sour·dough star·ter [souuhr, -doh stahr-ter, sou, -er-].
    1. a mixture of water and flour left to ferment over several days to create dough for sourdough bread.
  7. Slang. a shill, as at a gaming table in a casino.
  8. the card turned face up on the stack before the play, as in cribbage, crazy eights, and other card games.


adjective

  1. constituting a basis or beginning:

    a starter set of dishes; a starter home.

starter

/ ˈstɑːtə /

noun

  1. a device for starting an internal-combustion engine, usually consisting of a powerful electric motor that engages with the flywheel Formerly called self-starter
  2. a person who organizes the timely departure of buses, trains, etc
  3. a person who supervises and signals the start of a race
  4. a competitor who starts in a race or contest
  5. informal.
    an acceptable or practicable proposition, plan, idea, etc
  6. informal.
    a person who is willing to engage in a particular activity
  7. a culture of bacteria used to start fermentation, as in making cheese or yogurt
  8. the first course of a meal
  9. modifier designed to be used by a novice

    a starter kit

  10. for starters slang.
    in the first place
  11. under starter's orders
    1. (of horses in a race) awaiting the start signal
    2. (of a person) eager or ready to begin
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


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Word History and Origins

Origin of starter1

First recorded in 1530–40; start + -er 1
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. for starters, Informal. as the first step or part; initially; first:

    We will have soup for starters. For starters, he doesn't even know how to drive.

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Example Sentences

Same-sex marriage, a political non-starter only a few years ago, now enjoys solid majority support in national polls.

Conversation starter: will that Financial Times piece about his data kill our deft and dashingly accented Prince Oberyn?

They only have one brain, and jeopardizing its safety unnecessarily is a complete non-starter for me.

They are vinous, herbaceous, and reminiscent of sourdough yeast starter.

This was always going to be a non-starter because Democrats control the Senate as well as the White House.

"Kick a few uh his ribs out uh place for a starter," Piegan coolly advised.

So it happened that this was the main thought in his mind when the starter's gong sounded and the racers shot away down the track.

He lifted his cap, entered the car, touched the starter and in a moment the car whisked away.

"That's only a starter—something down to prove good faith, you understand," whispered the stranger.

Advance spark lever about half way and throttle lever about one-quarter way and depress starter pedal.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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