What does deadhead mean?
Definitions for deadhead
ˈdɛdˌhɛddead·head
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word deadhead.
Princeton's WordNet
deadheadnoun
a nonenterprising person who is not paying his way
"the deadheads on the payroll should be eased out as fast as possible"
deadheadnoun
a train or bus or taxi traveling empty
Wiktionary
deadheadnoun
A person either admitted to a theatrical or musical performance without charge, or paid to attend
deadheadnoun
An employee of a transportation company, especially a pilot, traveling as a passenger for logistical reasons, for example to return home or travel to their next assignment.
deadheadnoun
Anyone traveling for free.
deadheadnoun
A train or truck moved between cities with no passengers or freight, in order to make it available for service
deadheadnoun
A person staying at a lodging, such as a hotel or boarding house, without paying rent; freeloader.
deadheadnoun
A stupid or boring person; dullard
deadheadnoun
Driftwood.
deadheadnoun
A fan of the rock band the Grateful Dead (usually Deadhead).
deadheadnoun
A zombie.
deadheadverb
To travel as a deadhead, or non-paying passenger.
deadheadverb
To drive an empty vehicle.
deadheadverb
To send (a person or message) for free.
deadheadverb
To remove spent or dead blossoms from a plant.
If you deadhead your roses regularly, they will bloom all season.
Deadheadnoun
A fan of the rock band The Grateful Dead.
Etymology: From Grateful Dead + -head
Wikipedia
Deadhead
A Deadhead or Dead Head is a fan of the American rock band the Grateful Dead. In the 1970s, a number of fans began travelling to see the band in as many shows or festival venues as they could. With large numbers of people thus attending strings of shows, a community developed. Deadheads developed their own idioms and slang. Much Deadhead-related historical material received or collected by the band over the years is housed in the Grateful Dead Archive of University of California, Santa Cruz. Archive founding curator Nicholas Meriwether, who has also written extensively about the culture and its impact on society, predicted, "The Grateful Dead archive is going to end up being a critical way for us to approach and understand the 1960s and the counterculture of the era... It's also going to tell us a lot about the growth and development of modern rock theater, and it's helping us understand fan culture."
ChatGPT
deadhead
A deadhead is a term with different meanings across multiple industries. 1. In transportation, especially airlines and trucking, a deadhead refers to the part of a trip where the vehicle travels back empty without carrying passengers or load after dropping off the previous ones. 2. In music culture, a Deadhead is a fan of the band Grateful Dead. 3. In gardening, deadheading is the process of removing the spent or faded flowers from a plant to encourage further blooms and maintain its appearance. 4. In work settings, a deadhead can be a slang term for an unproductive or lazy employee. The specific meaning usually depends on the context in which it's used.
Webster Dictionary
Deadheadnoun
one who receives free tickets for theaters, public conveyances, etc
Deadheadnoun
a buoy. See under Dead, a
Wikidata
Deadhead
Deadhead or Dead Head is a name given to fans of the American jam band, the Grateful Dead. In the 1970s, a number of fans began travelling to see the band in as many shows or festival venues as they could. With large numbers of people thus attending strings of shows, a community developed. Deadheads developed their own idioms and slang.
Matched Categories
Usage in printed sourcesFrom:
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Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of deadhead in Chaldean Numerology is: 2
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of deadhead in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5
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"deadhead." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 10 Feb. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/deadhead>.
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