wiper

[ wahy-per ]
See synonyms for wiper on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a person or thing that wipes.

  2. the thing with which something is wiped, as a towel, handkerchief, or squeegee.

  1. Electricity. the portion of a selector or other similar device that makes contact with the terminals of a bank.

  2. Also wipe. Machinery. a projection or partial cam, as on a rotating shaft, moving to lift or dislodge another part, especially so as to let it drop when released.

Origin of wiper

1
First recorded in 1545–50; wipe + -er1

Words Nearby wiper

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use wiper in a sentence

  • There was just the noise of the broken wiper in front of me, stuttering across the windshield.

  • On Sunday night there had been a hop on the shore of the lake, and a constable had danced with a skillet-wiper from town.

  • Beside them lay a black pen-wiper with red and white roses which Miss Leonore herself had embroidered.

    Maezli | Johanna Spyri
  • No amount of detailed description will make a good joint wiper.

    Elements of Plumbing | Samuel Dibble
  • Supporting the pipes in this way will allow the wiper perfect freedom.

    Elements of Plumbing | Samuel Dibble
  • The wiper is cautioned to move the ladle constantly while dropping the solder.

    Elements of Plumbing | Samuel Dibble

British Dictionary definitions for wiper

wiper

/ (ˈwaɪpə) /


noun
  1. any piece of cloth, such as a handkerchief, towel, etc, used for wiping

  2. a cam rotated to ease a part and allow it to fall under its own weight, as used in stamping machines, etc

  1. electrical engineering a movable conducting arm, esp one in a switching or selecting device, that makes contact with a row or ring of contacts

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012