Standard Lemma guide

bleacher

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈbliː.t͡ʃəː/
  • Received-Pronunciation: [ˈblɪi̯.t͡ʃəː]
  • Canadian, General-American, Standard: /ˈbli.t͡ʃɚ/
  • Canadian, General-American, Standard: [ˈblɪi̯.t͡ʃɚ] ~ [ˈblɪi̯.t͡ʃɹ̩]
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -iːtʃə(ɹ)
  • CMU ARPABET: B L IY1 CH ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

One who, or that which, bleaches.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A stand of tiered planks used as seating for spectators, often outdoors.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, plural-normally

Examples

  • There could be a rough crowd out in the bleachers.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: stand, terrace

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The tiered seating provided for the audience at a television filming.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, broadly, plural-normally

Topics: broadcasting, media, television

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

a worker who bleaches (cloth or flour etc.)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: worker

History

Etymology

From Middle English blechere, equivalent to bleach + -er. Compare Dutch bleker, Swedish blekare. The seating was so named because the boards were bleached by the sun.

Across languages

Translations

26 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Spanish: blanqueador — one who bleaches
  • Swedish: blekare — one who bleaches
  • Catalan: graderies — seating for spectators
  • Chinese Mandarin: 露天看台 — seating for spectators
  • Czech: tribuna — seating for spectators
  • Czech: hlediště — seating for spectators
  • Dutch: tribune — seating for spectators
  • French: place de tribune non-couverte — seating for spectators
  • French: gradin — seating for spectators
  • German: Zuschauerbänke — seating for spectators
  • German: Sitztribüne — seating for spectators
  • German: Sitzreihen — seating for spectators
  • Hungarian: fedetlen lelátó — seating for spectators
  • Italian: gradinate — seating for spectators
  • Norwegian: tribuner — seating for spectators
  • Polish: trybuna — seating for spectators
  • Portuguese: arquibancada — seating for spectators
  • Russian: трибу́ны (tribúny) — seating for spectators
  • Spanish: gradas — seating for spectators
  • Spanish: gradería — seating for spectators
  • Spanish: graderío — seating for spectators
  • Spanish: palco — seating for spectators
  • Spanish: platea — seating for spectators
  • Spanish: lunetario — seating for spectators
  • Spanish: patio de butacas — seating for spectators
  • Swedish: läktare — seating for spectators