dropper

American  

[drop-er] / ˈdrɒp ər /

noun

• droppers
  plural

1. 1. Also called medicine dropper.  Also called eyedropper.  a tube with a hollow rubber bulb at one end and a small opening at the other, for drawing in a liquid and expelling it in drops.

      For pets that don't like droppers, this medication also comes in a spray.

      You can dilute the tempera a little at a time by adding water with an eye dropper.

   2. the amount held or dispensed by such a tube.

      Take two droppers of the echinacea tincture, swish it in your mouth for about 15 seconds, and swallow.

2. Angling. a short length of nylon, gut, etc., tied to a leader so that another fly dropper fly can be attached.

   This is a great summer fly that you can fish on a dropper or simply on its own.

3. a short-haired dog that is a cross between a pointer and a setter, so named because it drops to the ground, or crouches, on sighting game.

4. a person or thing that drops.

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dropper British  

/ ˈdrɒpə /

noun

1. a small tube having a rubber bulb at one end for drawing up and dispensing drops of liquid

2. a person or thing that drops

3. angling a short length of monofilament by which a fly is attached to the main trace or leader above the tail fly

4. a batten attached to the top wire of a fence to keep the wires apart

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• droppers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of dropper

First recorded in 1690–1700; drop + -er ¹

Compare meaning

How does dropper compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• dropper vs. dispenser

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dropper droppers

This much silence from pop music’s most dramatic main character, biggest cornball and most profligate breadcrumb dropper has rattled the usual channels for all things Swift.

From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026

“They take it out on a little eye dropper, and they put it all over,” he continued, adding that the team used insect repellent on his face to keep the bees clear from that area.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 10, 2026

“This approach had a global impact on the dropper ecosystem,” Europol said.

From Seattle Times ● May 29, 2024

"Just because something is a marmalade dropper, doesn't make it a good idea," says one figure on today's big surprise.

From BBC ● Nov. 13, 2023

I watched him peer into the graduate, lifting the dropper and sniffing it, his face glowing with exasperation.

From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison

He uses up to 100 different shades of color applied with eye droppers to the surface of these canvases.

From New York Times ● Oct. 20, 2022

The rampant increase of new cognitive hacking exploits, from false-memory droppers to this sort of snareware, made it essential.

From Salon ● Mar. 14, 2020

Those costs would price out many patients, who would be paying out of pocket for MedPharm Iowa’s pills, droppers or creams.

From Washington Times ● Apr. 29, 2018

As difficult as it was to get started—I needed nipple guards, visits to a lactation consultant, droppers, special scales—I never thought to stop.

From Slate ● May 21, 2015

One Sunday, we drive out to the beach and cut down a small sea grape tree, paint it white, and hang it with our lights that look like nose droppers filled with colored water.

From "Before We Were Free" by Julia Alvarez