qualifier

American  

[kwol-uh-fahy-er] / ˈkwɒl əˌfaɪ ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that qualifies.

2. Grammar.

   1. a word that qualifies the meaning of another, as an adjective or adverb; modifier.

   2. an adverb that modifies adjectives or other adverbs and typically expresses degree or intensity, as very, somewhat, or quite.

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Usage

What is a qualifier? A qualifier is a person or thing that provides necessary skills or properties, as in The qualifier to enter the race was an ability to run the track three times without stopping.In grammar, a qualifier is a word that modifies another, as with adjectives and adverbs. When someone asks you to hand them the blue book, they are telling you something about the book so you know which one they want. Blue is modifying book. In other words, it’s acting as a qualifier.Example: The qualifier advanced to the next round of the competition.

Etymology

Origin of qualifier

First recorded in 1555–65; qualify + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Ten years ago, Kosovo had never played a World Cup qualifier - now they are 90 minutes away from qualifying for this summer's finals.

From BBC

A. “When the war ends” is a key qualifier—and one nobody knows how to ballpark right now.

From The Wall Street Journal

Tottenham Hotspur's Ben Davies was the side's calm voice of experienced leadership, yet injury ruled him out of the final two regular qualifiers as well as the play-offs.

From BBC

That was the first time those three and Johnson had started together under Bellamy, and that quartet could do damage against a Bosnian defence that conceded a creditable seven goals in their eight qualifiers.

From BBC

Last year he finished as the top scorer with 16 goals in the European qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

From BBC