gamester
English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Pronunciation
[edit]Noun
[edit]gamester (plural gamesters)
- A person who plays games.
- 1857, Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown's School Days:
- And now, while they are climbing the pole in another part of the field, […] the old farmer […] announces to all whom it may concern that a half-sovereign in money will be forthcoming to the old gamester who breaks most heads; […]
- (video games, nonstandard) One who plays video games.
- 1990, Popular Mechanics, volume 167, number 3, page 37:
- Gamesters should know that Nintendo is considering a phone link that would allow players to compete via modem in nationwide competitions.
- (gambling) A gambler.
- 1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Author’s Oeconomy and Happy Life among the Houyhnhnms. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume II, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part IV (A Voyage to the Houyhnhnms), page 301:
- […] here were no Gibers, Cenſurers, Backbiters, Pick-pockets, Highwaymen, Houſebreakers, Attorneys, Bawds, Buffoons, Gameſters, Politicians, Wits, ſplenetick tedious Talkers, Controvertiſts, Raviſhers, Murderers, Robbers, Virtuoſo's; […]
- (obsolete) A prostitute; one who is on the game.
- c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii], page 252, column 2, lines 187–188:
- She's impudent my Lord, / And was a common gameſter to the Campe.
Usage notes
[edit]Gamer is the term preferred by players of video games and tabletop role-playing games.
Synonyms
[edit]- (one who plays video games): gamer
- (prostitute): See Thesaurus:prostitute
Derived terms
[edit]Translations
[edit]person who plays games
one who plays video games — see gamer
gambler — see gambler