Kicker

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈkɪkɚ/

Definitions

1. A player who propels the ball with their foot in sports, or a surprising final element that changes the outcome or impact of something
2. An individual responsible for striking a ball with their foot during athletic competitions, or a surprising twist that dramatically influences a given circumstance or result
3. A person who uses their foot to send a ball during a sport match ; an unforeseen detail or event that alters the meaning or result

Etymology: The kicker in American sports slang is the player who kicks the ball, a role that has grown into a trade of its own on football fields. The sense that has spread furthest, though, is the one for a surprising twist that turns a situation around. Here the word is simply the noun formed from "kick" with the agent suffix "-er," and it has taken on a meaning that rides on the idea of a sudden, sharp jolt. A harsher, older use survives in the American South. There, "kicker" can refer to a person, and that sense derives from "shitkicker," a term for a cowboy who wore heavy boots and kicked aside cow manure. The shift from a boot-wearing rancher to a dramatic plot twist is a long way to travel, but both rely on the same forceful motion.

Synonyms: shooter, striker, pusher

Antonyms: receiver