dozer

¹

[doh-zer]

noun

1. a person who dozes. doze.

dozer

²

[doh-zer]

noun

1. bulldozer.

dozer

/ ˈdəʊzə /

noun

1. short for bulldozer

Word History and Origins

Origin of dozer¹

First recorded in 1700–10; doze ¹ + -er ¹

Origin of dozer²

By shortening

When To Use

What does dozer mean?

Dozer is commonly used as a short form of the word bulldozer, a large tractor that has a big, blade-like shovel at the front and moves around using metal tracks over wheels. They’re typically used to move earth and clear debris from an area.Less commonly, bulldozer can also mean a person who intentionally tries to intimidate others. In fact, this was its original use, first recorded in the 1870s.The verb bulldoze comes from around the same time. Today, bulldoze typically means to use a bulldozer, such as to move dirt or clear an area, or, more figuratively, to move forward or advance in an aggressive or forceful way.However, bulldoze originally meant to intimidate, such as with threats of violence. Early records of this use refer to violent attacks, especially whipping, against African Americans by white people in the Southern United States. However, the origin of these words, and how bulldozer came to be a name for a type of tractor, is ultimately unclear.Unrelatedly, dozer is also an informal word for someone who dozes—falls asleep or sleeps for a short time, especially without trying to. This use of the word dozer precedes its use in bulldozer.