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• lister
  lister

  noun

  a plow with a double moldboard, used to prepare the ground for planting by producing furrows and ridges.
• Lister
  Lister

  noun

  Joseph, 1st Baron Lister of Lyme Regis 1827–1912, English surgeon: founder of modern antiseptic surgery.

lister

¹ American  

[lis-ter] / ˈlɪs tər /

noun

1. Also called middlebreaker, middlebuster.  Also called lister plow.  a plow with a double moldboard, used to prepare the ground for planting by producing furrows and ridges.

2. Also called lister drill.  Also called lister planter,.  a lister plow fitted with attachments for dropping and covering seeds.

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lister ² American  

[lis-ter] / ˈlɪs tər /

noun

1. a person who makes or compiles a list, especially an appraiser or assessor.

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Lister ³ American  

[lis-ter] / ˈlɪs tər /

noun

1. Joseph, 1st Baron Lister of Lyme Regis 1827–1912, English surgeon: founder of modern antiseptic surgery.

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lister ¹ British  

/ ˈlɪstə /

noun

1. Also called: lister plough.   middlebreaker.   middle buster.  agriculture a plough with a double mouldboard designed to throw soil to either side of a central furrow

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Lister ² British  

/ ˈlɪstə /

noun

1. Joseph, 1st Baron Lister. 1827–1912, British surgeon, who introduced the use of antiseptics

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Lister Scientific  

/ lĭs′tər /

1. British surgeon who, influenced by Pasteur's germ theory of disease, established in 1865 a system of antiseptic measures in hospitals to combat infections. His practices dramatically decreased the number by deaths caused by infection and were gradually adopted in hospitals throughout Europe.

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Etymology

Origin of lister¹

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90; list ² + -er ¹

Origin of lister²

First recorded in 1670–80; list ¹ + -er ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lister Lister

And not even a purehearted birder – a lister!

From The Guardian ● Nov. 4, 2017

To my shame, I am what people in the world of birding call a lister.

From The Guardian ● Nov. 4, 2017

I have to quote this whole paragraph, about a survival group’s knife-buying tactics, to give you a sense of how Rawles, a notorious lister, does it:

From Slate ● Oct. 6, 2016

He became a county lister in the 1970s, recording which species he saw in which of Minnesota’s 87 counties.

From Washington Times ● May 2, 2015

His warm canteen was empty, and he was too distraught to remember the lister bag hanging outside in the shade between the two tents.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

“Frankly, the main thing that has been holding the U.S. force presence in Syria over the last year is the detention facilities and the camps,” Lister said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 22, 2026

Sen. Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., Sen. Lister Hill and Rep. Mike Mansfield also went on the record, reciting the talking points outlined in United Fruit memos.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 15, 2026

The centenarian enjoyed her birthday surrounded by friends and family at the home, with a special cake prepared by the sous chef, Kieran Lister.

From BBC ● Jan. 12, 2026

British visitor Oscar Lister, 30, said it was "really sad" that it was "probably the last time" he could come to the long-cherished Renate, just like the Watergate club that closed last year.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2025

It will inspire an English surgeon named Joseph Lister to try performing surgery in sterile conditions that exclude or kill all microorganisms.

From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman