tiered
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of tiered
Explanation
Something that is arranged in a series of levels or layers is tiered. Towering wedding cakes are often tiered, with the smallest layer at the very top. Stadium or theater seating is tiered — each row of seats is placed slightly above the row in front of it, so that people sitting in the back can see over the heads of the audience members in front. Skirts and dresses sometimes have tiered ruffles, each layer a bit higher than the one beneath it. The adjective tiered comes from tier, or "row," from the Old French tire, "rank or sequence."
Vocabulary lists containing tiered
100 Sideways Miles
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"Novio Boy: Scene 7, Part 1" and "Oranges"
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It's Kind of a Funny Story
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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.
Hong Kong-listed InSilico is set to receive an initial $60 million in project initiation fees and near-term payments, and is eligible for milestone payments as well as tiered royalties on future sales, the people said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
For that reason, individual incomes are taxed at tiered levels, not all as one pot.
From MarketWatch ● May 23, 2026
The tiered tax, with rates from 0.5% to 4%, is projected to generate $500 million annually for New York City.
From Barron's ● May 7, 2026
The memorial itself holds a "tiered system of commemoration", says Korean research company SI Analytics.
From BBC ● May 7, 2026
A swirl of red hair sits atop her head like a tiered dessert stand.
From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton
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.
