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eraser

[ih-rey-ser]
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noun
  1. a device, as a piece of rubber or cloth, for erasing marks made with pen, pencil, chalk, etc.
  2. a person or thing that erases.
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Origin of eraser

First recorded in 1780–90; erase + -er1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for eraser

Historical Examples

  • I don't know what I said, if anything, and the suit recorder has no playback or eraser.

    Accidental Death

    Peter Baily

  • Always keep your pencils sharpened and have an eraser handy.

  • Trent picked up an eraser and passed it over the name on the envelope.

  • An eraser, a knife, or some small article may be attached to one end of the thread.

  • Willy's body vanished from the floor as I dropped the eraser.

    The Animated Pinup

    Lewis Parker

British Dictionary definitions for eraser

eraser

noun
  1. an object, such as a piece of rubber or felt, used for erasing something written, typed, etca pencil eraser
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for eraser

n.

"thing that erases writing," 1790, American English, agent noun from erase. Originally a knife for scraping off the ink. As a rubber product for removing pencil marks, from 1858.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper