cutter

American  

[kuht-er] / ˈkʌt ər /

noun

• cutters
  plural

1. a person who cuts, especially as a job, as one who cuts fabric for garments.

2. a machine, tool, or other device for cutting.

3. Nautical.

   1. a single-masted sailing vessel, very similar to a sloop but having its mast set somewhat farther astern, about two-fifths of the way aft measured on the water line.

   2. a ship's boat having double-banked oars and one or two lugsails.

4. Also called revenue cutter. a lightly armed government vessel used to prevent smuggling and enforce the customs regulations.

5. a person who repeatedly inflicts self-injury by cutting the skin, as to cope with negative emotions.

6. a person employed as a film editor.

7. a small, light sleigh, usually single-seated and pulled by one horse.

8. Also called rubber. a brick suitable for cutting and rubbing.

9. (in U.S. government grading of beef )

   1. a low-quality grade of beef between utility and canner.

   2. beef of this grade, mostly used in processed beef products, as sausage.

10. Baseball. cut fastball.

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adjective

1. (in U.S. government grading of beef ) graded between utility and canner.

cutter British  

/ ˈkʌtə /

noun

1. a person or thing that cuts, esp a person who cuts cloth for clothing

2. a sailing boat with its mast stepped further aft so as to have a larger foretriangle than that of a sloop

3. a ship's boat, powered by oars or sail, for carrying passengers or light cargo

4. a small lightly armed boat, as used in the enforcement of customs regulations

5. a pig weighing between 68 and 82 kg, from which fillets and larger joints are cut

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• cutters
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of cutter

First recorded in 1375–1425; Middle English kittere, cuttere; see cut, -er ¹

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cutter cutters

Shohei Ohtani came up with two on and popped up a high cutter on a full count.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 5, 2026

Every year, a person of special importance serves as the ceremonial guitar string cutter to open the festivities.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026

A quarter of the time, Schlittler unleashes his cutter.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026

The Dodgers’ right-hander had just finished a complete game with a cutter on the outside corner for a strikeout.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2026

And then he yelled something in Arabic to Mike, who stood behind the meat cutter holding a turkey breast in his arms like a football.

From "The Boy in the Black Suit" by Jason Reynolds

Using heavy equipment including "drilling machines, excavators, hydraulic cutters, and other equipment" on Sunday, they drilled four holes before rescuers descended by rope into the crater.

From Barron's ● Aug. 30, 2026

Now, someone passed him wire cutters, and he sliced it off for his lawyer to hold up victoriously.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026

The six 154-foot fast-response cutters are part of the Coast Guard’s reimagined “expeditionary cutter squadron,” which can be sent anywhere in the world.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

The six fast-response cutters are approved to operate from Singapore and Subic Bay in the Philippines at least through September.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

I talk myself through each step of the plan, like I’m coordinating a heist with glass cutters, guy-wires, and suction cups.

From "Landscape with Invisible Hand" by M.T. Anderson

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