spotter

UK: /ˈspɒtə/ US: /ˈspɑtɚ/ ,(spot′ər)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

spot•ter /ˈspɑtɚ/   n. [countable]

1. a person employed to watch the activity of others, as for evidence of dishonesty:
   The spotter rode the train to make sure the conductor collected the tickets.
2. Military a military observer who spots targets.
3. Sport, Show Business an assistant to a sportscaster who provides the names of the players in a game.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

spot•ter  (spot′ər), n. 

1. a person employed to remove spots from clothing, esp. at a dry-cleaning establishment.
2. Military (in civil defense) a civilian who watches for enemy airplanes.
3. Informal Terms a person employed to watch the activity and behavior of others, esp. employees, as for evidence of dishonesty.
4. Military an observer at a forward position who singles out targets for gunners.
5. a person or thing that spots.
6. Military, Sport (in small-arms practice firing) a small black disk attached to the target to make more prominent the places where a bullet has hit.
7. Sport, Show Business an assistant to a sportscaster who provides the names of the players chiefly involved in each play of a game, esp. a football game.
8. Sport [Gymnastics, Tumbling.] a person who is stationed in the most effective place to guard against an injury to a performer in the act of executing a maneuver.

• spot + -er¹ 1605–15

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

spotter / ˈspɒtə/ noun

1. a person or thing that watches or observes
2. (as modifier): a spotter plane
3. a person who makes a hobby of watching for and noting numbers or types of trains, buses, etc: a train spotter
4. a person who orders or advises adjustment of fire on a target by observations
5. a person, esp one engaged in civil defence, who watches for enemy aircraft