boilermaker

American  

[boi-ler-mey-ker] / ˈbɔɪ lərˌmeɪ kər /

noun

1. a person employed to make and repair boilers or other heavy metal items.

2. whiskey with beer as a chaser.

---

boilermaker British  

/ ˈbɔɪləˌmeɪkə /

noun

1. a person who works with metal in heavy industry; plater or welder

2. slang a beer drink consisting of half of draught mild and half of bottled brown ale

3. slang a drink of whisky followed by a beer chaser

---

Etymology

Origin of boilermaker

First recorded in 1860–65; boiler + maker

Example Sentences

Additional money is being provided by Hull-based boilermaker Ideal Heating.

From BBC • Nov. 18, 2025

His father, a boilermaker, was strict and demanding.

From New York Times • Jun. 22, 2021

Hector Albert Padilla was born March 22, 1930, in Tucson, Ariz., to Manuel, who worked as a boilermaker for the Southern Pacific Railroad, and Concepcion, who was a seamstress.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 16, 2020

Differing family accounts say his father was either a dockworker or a boilermaker and his mother either a store clerk or a homemaker.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 17, 2019

The same reward was given by mistake to the boilermaker, Mohammed Sa'íd Haddád, who had malingered, instead of working, through the night.

From The Land of Midian — Volume 1 by Burton, Richard Francis, Sir