tester
1 Americannoun
noun
noun
noun
noun
noun
Etymology
Origin of tester1
First recorded in 1655–65; test 1 + -er 1
Origin of tester2
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English tester, testo(u)r, testir, teester “headpiece,” from Old French testiere “headpiece, head covering,” from Medieval Latin testerium, testrum, testura “canopy of a bed”; derivative of Vulgar Latin testa “head,” from Latin testa “earthenware jar; brick; tile”; see test 2
Origin of tester3
First recorded in 1560–70; earlier testorn, variant of teston, with -r- from Middle French testart “teston”
Explanation
When someone is a tester, they either administer tests or they assess the safety or function of a product. You might hope for an eventual career as a bubblegum tester. When you take a standardized exam, a tester will hand out papers and collect them when your time is up. And when you get a driver's license, a tester will ride along with you in the car during your road test. There's another type of tester that's a free sample, like a lipstick tester you can try on in a store. And an old-fashioned tester is the fabric canopy on the top of a four-poster bed.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The seams in the seat jackets of our tester were puckered and imperfect.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026
Another tester appreciated how easy it was to eat.
From Barron's • Feb. 24, 2026
The discovery was made through the aid of a third-party forensic tester and a federal grant.
From Los Angeles Times • May 10, 2025
Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 30–35 minutes, until a tester comes out clean and the top is golden.
From Salon • Apr. 3, 2025
The Blue’s Clues tester played the part of Steve, and walked the kids through the script, making a careful note of all the questions they answered correctly and those that seemed to baffle them.
From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
