handlers
|hand-ler|
🇺🇸
/ˈhændlər/
🇬🇧
/ˈhændlə/
(handler)
people who deal with or manage something
Etymology
'handler' originates from English, specifically from the verb 'handle' with the agentive suffix '-er' (forming 'handler' meaning 'one who handles').
'handle' comes from Old English 'handlian' (to handle, touch, manage), related to 'hand'; adding the suffix '-er' produced 'handler' in later English.
Initially related to 'touching or managing by hand,' the sense broadened to mean 'one who manages, controls, or deals with' in various contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'handler': people who handle, move, or manage physical items (e.g., baggage, cargo).
The baggage handlers loaded the luggage onto the plane.
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Noun 2
people who control, train, or care for animals (e.g., dog handlers, animal handlers).
The dog handlers prepared the animals for the show.
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Noun 3
people who manage or direct agents, operatives, or clients (often used in intelligence/PR contexts).
The agent met with his handlers in a safe house.
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Noun 4
in computing, routines or functions that respond to events or conditions (e.g., event handlers, signal handlers).
The developers wrote several handlers to manage user input.
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Last updated: 2025/10/28 08:10