Noun
masthead (plural mastheads)
- (nautical) The top of a mast.
1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “chapter 35”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC:In most American whalemen the mast-heads are manned almost simultaneously with the vessel’s leaving her port; even though she may have fifteen thousand miles, and more, to sail ere reaching her proper cruising ground.
- (US) A list of a newspaper or other periodical's main staff, contributing writers, publisher, circulation, advertising rates etc.
- Synonym: (UK) imprint
- (UK, Australia) The title (normally in a large and distinctive font) of a newspaper or other periodical at the top of the front page; (by extension) the publication itself or the rights to it.
- Synonym: (US) nameplate
2022 July 14, Stephen Johnson, “Aussie woman given flowers in viral stunt blasts TikTok star”, in Mail Online:Maree said she felt worse after articles were written about the video, including by this masthead.
- (television, by extension) The logo of a broadcaster used in an ident.
Translations
list of a paper's main staff
Verb
masthead (third-person singular simple present mastheads, present participle mastheading, simple past and past participle mastheaded)
- (transitive, nautical) To send to the masthead as a punishment.
1838, Frederick Marryat, Rattlin the Reefer:“I was mast-headed, sir.”
“Mast-headed! how - for what?”
2009, Gregory Fremont-Barnes, Nelson's Officers and Midshipmen, page 30:When the ship happened to be in a warm climate, mastheading constituted a fairly mild punishment; indeed, many regarded it as rather a relief from duty. But in inclement weather the experience was most unpleasant.
- (transitive) To furnish (a newspaper) with a masthead.
1991, John Costello, Ten Days to Destiny, page 542:It was mastheaded as "Palatka's Only Independent Home-Owned Newspaper."