A streamer is someone who broadcasts live video content over the internet, usually while playing video games, creating art, or just talking with their audience. Streamers use platforms like Twitch or YouTube, where viewers can watch in real time and chat with the streamer and each other. Popular streamers might have thousands of people watching at once, turning what used to be a solitary activity into a kind of performance.

The appeal of streaming goes beyond just watching someone play a game. Good streamers are entertaining: they tell jokes, explain their strategies, react dramatically to surprising moments, and build communities where viewers feel connected. Some streamers make streaming their full-time job, earning money through ads, subscriptions, and donations from viewers who want to support them.

The word streamer can also refer to a long, narrow strip of paper or fabric used for decoration, like the colorful streamers you might hang at a birthday party. These party streamers flutter and wave when you walk past them, adding festivity to celebrations. Context makes the meaning clear: if someone says they watched a streamer last night, they mean the online broadcaster, not a piece of party decoration.