spreader

[spred-er]

noun

1. a person or thing that spreads.

2. a small, dull knife or spatula used for spreading butter, jelly, etc., on bread.

3. a machine for dispersing bulk material.

   manure spreader.

4. a device for spacing or keeping apart two objects, as electric wires.

5. Nautical.,  a strut for spreading shrouds on a mast.

ˈspreader

/ ˈsprɛdə /

noun

1. a machine or device used for scattering bulk materials, esp manure or fertilizer, over a relatively wide area

2. a device for keeping apart or spacing parallel objects, such as electric wires

Other Word Forms

• antispreader noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of spreader¹

First recorded in 1475–85; spread + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Yates cautioned that “streamers’ depictions of events are often false or misleading, so we must promote accurate and complete information — without engaging these disinformation spreaders or platforming their content.”

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Yet, some think this research leads to censorship when platforms choose to use the knowledge to label or remove suspect content or ban its primary spreaders.

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk is a prolific spreader and amplifier of misinformation on his social media platform X, formerly Twitter, a new report alleges.

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They included a research initiative as well as a tree-planting project and programmes aimed at supporting farmers and slurry spreaders.

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The case calls into question the future of a company that was a key online supporter of Trump and spreader of conspiracy theories.

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