Reader
/ˈriː.dər/noun
A person who reads written or printed material.
Did you know?In Old English, the root behind reader could mean both “to read” and “to advise or interpret,” linking literacy with the older role of explaining mysteries and signs.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*raidijaną
“To advise, explain, or interpret; the ancestral sense later developed toward reading.”
Old English
Old English
rǣdan
“To advise, interpret, explain, or read.”
Old English
Old English
rǣdere
“A reader or interpreter; one who reads or explains.”
Middle English
Middle English
redere
“A person who reads, especially aloud, or interprets written material.”
15th Century
English
reader
“A person who reads; also an instructor or lecturer who reads and explains texts.”
Modern English
English
reader
“A person who reads, or a book designed for reading practice.”