tier

¹ American  

[teer] / tɪər /

noun

1. one of a series of rows or ranks rising one behind or above another, as of seats in an amphitheater, boxes in a theater, guns in a man-of-war, or oars in an ancient galley.

2. one of a number of galleries, as in a theater.

3. a layer; level; stratum.

   The wedding cake had six tiers.

   All three tiers of the firm's management now report to one director.

4. Australian. a mountain range.

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verb (used with object)

1. to arrange in tiers.

verb (used without object)

1. to rise in tiers.

tier ² American  

[tahy-er] / ˈtaɪ ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that ties.

2. Nautical. a short rope or band for securing a furled sail.

3. New England. a child's apron or pinafore.

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tier ¹ British  

/ tɪə /

noun

1. one of a set of rows placed one above and behind the other, such as theatre seats

2. 1. a layer or level

   2. ( in combination )

      a three-tier cake

3. a rank, order, or row

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verb

1. to be or arrange in tiers

tier ² British  

/ ˈtaɪə /

noun

1. a person or thing that ties

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Etymology

Origin of tier¹

First recorded in 1560–70; earlier also tire, tyre, teare, from Middle French, Old French tire, tiere “order, row, rank,” from Germanic; compare Old English, Old Saxon tīr, Old High German zēri “glory, adornment”

Origin of tier²

First recorded in 1625–35; tie + -er ¹

Explanation

A tier is a level or a layer. If you sit in the top tier of seats at a concert, you can see the whole stage and most of the audience — but you probably have to climb lots of stairs. A tier can describe a layer of ruffles on a dress, a section of seats in a stadium, or one layer of a fancy cake. You could also talk about a tier in terms of value or position. For example, the most popular, well-known actors might be considered part of the top tier, getting all the best parts. Tier originated from the Old French word tire: rank, sequence, or order.

Example Sentences

The mostly ad-free Lite tier was introduced last March, and allows users to download videos and watch content in the background.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

On the penultimate weekend of the 1997-98 First Division season, Manchester City hosted Queens Park Rangers knowing they needed a result to give themselves the chance of avoiding relegation down to England's third tier.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

However, net costs for families in this income tier were much lower — $4,600 — at private colleges with large endowments.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

At the upper tier is the Arrow 3, which intercepts long-range ballistic missiles that leave the Earth’s atmosphere and is among the best antimissile munitions in the world.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026

He was at the top tier of the very tall shelves, along the northern wall beyond which the shark-fin ridge fell away in a sheer cliff all the way to the city.

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor

Related Words

• category
• layer
• row