Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A minor member of an operatic or dramatic cast, usually having no speaking part.
  • noun One whose presence or performance has little effect on an occurrence, group, or organization.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A person in a play or movie with a minimal part; an extra.

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Yet in class they'd be thrown into a "made-up in the first week" startup team and got dragged along as a spear-carrier for someone else's vision.

    Steve Blank: The Startup Team Steve Blank 2011

  • Second place to Ron Paul -- who while being the libertarian movement's most loved spear-carrier -- also has no chance of winning nationally.

    Steve Clemons: Iowa Straw Poll Takes a Dive Steve Clemons 2011

  • Yet in class they'd be thrown into a "made-up in the first week" startup team and got dragged along as a spear-carrier for someone else's vision.

    Steve Blank: The Startup Team Steve Blank 2011

  • "Dick put on shows and recruited me as a spear-carrier for the dumb parts," reveals Sir David.

    'There might be a God', says Sir David Attenborough 2012

  • Second place to Ron Paul -- who while being the libertarian movement's most loved spear-carrier -- also has no chance of winning nationally.

    Steve Clemons: Iowa Straw Poll Takes a Dive Steve Clemons 2011

  • Yet in class they'd be thrown into a "made-up in the first week" startup team and got dragged along as a spear-carrier for someone else's vision.

    Steve Blank: The Startup Team Steve Blank 2011

  • For the record, Marks came in second to Mick Ireland in the race for Mayor, and Milias was MM's spear-carrier in the campaign.

    Michael Conniff: Con Games: The Loony Bin of Aspen Politics 2010

  • Armstrong had long been known as an indefatigable spear-carrier for Harry Chandler, but at this moment he seemed unaware that the wind had shifted at Times headquarters.

    Colossus Michael Hiltzik 2010

  • Armstrong had long been known as an indefatigable spear-carrier for Harry Chandler, but at this moment he seemed unaware that the wind had shifted at Times headquarters.

    Colossus Michael Hiltzik 2010

  • For the record, Marks came in second to Mick Ireland in the race for Mayor, and Milias was MM's spear-carrier in the campaign.

    Michael Conniff: Con Games: The Loony Bin of Aspen Politics 2010

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