singer

singer — noun

1. a person who uses their voice to create music, whether just for enjoyment or as

1.nounA1
Definition

a person who uses their voice to create music, whether just for enjoyment or as a paid job performing for audiences.

Example

Shirin has been the lead singer in her school choir since she was eleven.

lead singer — main vocalist of a group

A street singer near the market sang old folk songs to shoppers passing by.

street singer — type adjective before singer

Common collocations
  • lead singer
  • backup singer
  • folk singer
  • opera singer
  • street singer
  • session singer
  • pop singer
  • singer-songwriter
  • choir singer
Synonyms
  • vocalist

    more formal register; commonly used for trained or professional singers, especially in jazz, opera, or choral music

  • performer

    broader term; can refer to any stage entertainer, not limited to singing

Grammar Patterns

a/an + singer

the + singer + of/from + [group]

Usage Note

Although not a separate dictionary sense, Singer is also a common surname. Notable individuals include Isaac Bashevis Singer (1904–1991), a Polish-born American author who won the Nobel Prize in Literature, and Isaac Merritt Singer (1811–1875), the American inventor who created the widely used Singer sewing machine. These biographical references are unrelated to the musical meaning.

Common Mistakes

She is a good sing.
She is a good singer.
singer is the noun form; sing is the verb.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Singer is the most general and common word for anyone who uses their voice to produce music, from a child humming to a professional on stage. Vocalist is a more formal or technical term, often used in written credits, news articles, and reviews to describe a trained singer in a specific genre such as jazz, opera, or choral music — for example, 'a jazz vocalist' rather than 'a jazz singer' suggests a level of professional study. Performer is the broadest of the three, covering any person who entertains an audience, whether by singing, dancing, acting, or playing an instrument. A guitarist who sings occasionally would be called a performer rather than a singer or vocalist. Use singer for everyday contexts, vocalist for formal or genre-specific references, and performer when the person does more than just sing.

singer ↗vocalistperformer ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

Prepositions

  • singer for [band/choir]
  • singer in [group/genre]

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Derived from the verb 'sing' (from Old English 'singan') combined with the agentive suffix '-er', meaning 'one who sings'. The word has been used in English since the Old English period.