Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - starter

 I. noun  Date: 1622  1. a person who initiates or sets going: as  a. an official who gives the signal to begin a race  b. one who dispatches vehicles  2.  a. one that engages in a competition; especially a member of a starting lineup  b. one that begins to engage in an activity or process  3. one that causes something to begin operating: as  a. a device for starting an engine; especially an electric motor used to start an internal combustion engine  b. material containing microorganisms (as yeast) used to induce a desired fermentation  4. something that is the beginning of a process, activity, or series; especially appetizer  II. adjective  Date: 1946 of, relating to, or being an item acquired with the expectation that a more elaborate or sophisticated model will be acquired in the future a ~ home