tiller

¹

[ til-er ]

noun

1. a person who tills; farmer.
2. a person or thing that tills; cultivator.

tiller

²

[ til-er ]

noun

, Nautical.

1. a bar or lever fitted to the head of a rudder, for turning the rudder in steering.

tiller

³

[ til-er ]

noun

1. a plant shoot that springs from the root or bottom of the original stalk.
2. a sapling.

verb (used without object)

1. (of a plant) to put forth new shoots from the root or around the bottom of the original stalk.

tiller

¹

/ ˈtɪlə /

noun

1. nautical a handle fixed to the top of a rudderpost to serve as a lever in steering it

tiller

²

/ ˈtɪlə /

noun

1. a shoot that arises from the base of the stem in grasses
2. See sapling
   a less common name for sapling

verb

1. intr (of a plant) to produce tillers

Derived Forms

• ˈtillerless, adjective

Other Words From

• tiller·less adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tiller¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English tiller(e), tiliere; till ², -er ¹

Origin of tiller²

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English teler, telor, tiler(e) “the stock of a crossbow or firearm; tiller (for a boat),” from Old French telier, teiler “weaver's beam,” from Medieval Latin tēlārium, equivalent to Latin tēl(a) “cloth being woven on a loom; loom; plan, design” + -ārium -ary

Origin of tiller³

First recorded before 1000; Old English telgor, tealgor “twig, shoot,” (not recorded in Middle English ); akin to Old English telga “branch, bough,” Old Norse tjalga “twig, branch,” Dutch telg

Word History and Origins

Origin of tiller¹

C14: from Anglo-French teiler beam of a loom, from Medieval Latin tēlārium, from Latin tēla web

Origin of tiller²

Old English telgor twig; related to Icelandic tjalga branch

Example Sentences

Today the Moomin industry sails merrily along without her restraining hand on the tiller.

From The Daily Beast

After Tiller is largely devoid of politicking, instead choosing to simply follow the four doctors about their business.

From The Daily Beast

Doug Tiller (the original Morning Glory, Mercury Espresso) is behind the 40-seat tapas lounge.

From The Daily Beast

He [George Tiller] really put a lot of thought into the way he constructed this building.

From The Daily Beast

Galbreath recalls wearing a shirt with “In memory of George Tiller” written on the back.

From The Daily Beast

Presently he changed places with Sangree, and came down to talk with me by the tiller.

From Project Gutenberg

The tiller of the Indian fields lives and dies in his village and has no interests beyond the horizon.

From Project Gutenberg

Isabel made a wild clutch at the tiller ropes, and brought the boat back into the channel.

From Project Gutenberg

Lance took his place on the crossbeamto act as weight on either end if such balance was needed; Chet took the tiller.

From Project Gutenberg

And Harvey, having relinquished the tiller to Joe, stretched himself out at full length on the seat to rest.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• grower
• laborer
• peasant
• producer
• rancher