Cheerleaders

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals who perform energetic cheers and chants to support and motivate a sports team
2. People who lead crowd participation through rhythmic shouts and movements to boost team spirit
3. Participants who engage in vocal and physical encouragement to rally enthusiasm for athletes

Etymology: "Cheerleaders" is simply the plural of "cheerleader," and the base word is a plain compound of "cheer" and "leader." "Cheer" comes from Old French "chiere," meaning face or countenance, which over time shifted to mean good mood and then the act of encouraging someone. A "leader" is one who guides or directs a group. Put together, a cheerleader is someone who leads the crowd in shouting encouragement for a team.

Synonyms: supporters, fans, enthusiasts, promoters, backers