leavers
|leav-ers|
🇺🇸
/ˈliːvərz/
🇬🇧
/ˈliːvə(z)/
(leaver)
person who leaves
Etymology
'leaver' originates from the verb 'leave', ultimately from Old English 'lǣfan' meaning 'to leave behind, to allow to remain'.
'leave' in Old English 'lǣfan' passed into Middle English as 'leven'/'leave' and later took the agent-forming suffix '-er' to produce 'leaver' in modern English; the plural form 'leavers' is formed regularly.
Initially related to the act of leaving or allowing to remain ('to leave behind'); over time the agent noun 'leaver' came to mean 'one who leaves' in general and acquired extended senses such as school leavers and political 'leavers'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
persons who leave a place, position, job, or situation.
The factory closed and the leavers had to find new jobs.
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Noun 2
young people who have finished school (often used in British English: 'school leavers').
Many leavers choose to work, take a gap year, or go to university.
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Noun 3
supporters of leaving an organization or political body (e.g., the 'Leavers' in the context of Brexit — those who supported the UK leaving the EU).
The leavers argued that leaving the union would restore national control.
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Last updated: 2025/11/20 01:34