pitcher

¹

[pich-er]

noun

1. a container, usually with a handle and spout or lip, for holding and pouring liquids.

2. Botany.

   1. a pitcherlike modification of the leaf of certain plants.

   2. an ascidium.

pitcher

²

[pich-er]

noun

1. a person who pitches.

2. Baseball.,  the player who throws the ball to the opposing batter.

3. Also called number seven iron. Golf.,  a club with an iron head the face of which has more slope than a mashie but less slope than a pitching niblick.

4. sett.

Pitcher

³

[pich-er]

noun

1. Molly Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley, 1754–1832, American Revolutionary heroine.

pitcher

¹

/ ˈpɪtʃə /

noun

1. a large jug, usually rounded with a narrow neck and often of earthenware, used mainly for holding water

2. botany any of the urn-shaped leaves of the pitcher plant

pitcher

²

/ ˈpɪtʃə /

noun

1. baseball the player on the fielding team who pitches the ball to the batter

2. a granite stone or sett used in paving

Other Word Forms

• pitcherlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pitcher¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English picher, from Old French pichier, from Medieval Latin picārium, variant of bicārium beaker

Origin of pitcher²

First recorded in 1700–10; pitch ¹ + -er ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of pitcher¹

C13: from Old French pichier, from Medieval Latin picārium, variant of bicārium _beaker

Idioms and Phrases

see little pitchers have big ears.

Example Sentences

Two pitchers for the Cleveland Guardians have been accused of taking bribes to rig pitches they threw at Major League Baseball games.

Read more on BBC

Both pitchers were placed on non-disciplinary paid leave in July when MLB launched an investigation and were moved to the restricted list when the regular season ended.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Prosecutors in the baseball case said the pitchers agreed in advance with their co-conspirators on specific pitches they would throw, the bettors using that inside information to place hundreds of fraudulent bets.

Read more on Barron's

Los Angeles Dodgers' pitcher Alex Vesia, who sat out the team's World Series run against the Toronto Blue Jays, reported that his infant daughter died.

Read more on BBC

As my fellow Monday morning baseball critics always say, “Dave Roberts is a genius. Mookie is great at short. Last year no starting pitchers. This year no bullpen.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• ace 
• baseball player www.thesaurus.com
• reliever