tiller

[ til-er ]

/ ˈtɪl ər /

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noun

a person who tills; farmer.

a person or thing that tills; cultivator.

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Origin of tiller

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English tiller(e), tiliere; see origin at till², -er¹

Words nearby tiller

tillable, tillage, till all hours, Tillamook Bay, tillandsia, tiller, tillerman, Till Eulenspiegel, Tilley, till hell freezes over, Tillich

Other definitions for tiller (2 of 3)

tiller²

[ til-er ]

/ ˈtɪl ər /

noun Nautical.

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

Origin of tiller

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

OTHER WORDS FROM tiller

till·er·less, adjective

Other definitions for tiller (3 of 3)

tiller³

[ til-er ]

/ ˈtɪl ər /

noun

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

a sapling.

verb (used without object)

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

Origin of tiller

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use tiller in a sentence

Today the Moomin industry sails merrily along without her restraining hand on the tiller.
Tove Jansson, Queen of the Moomins|John Garth|August 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After Tiller is largely devoid of politicking, instead choosing to simply follow the four doctors about their business.
‘After Tiller’ Profiles Last Four U.S. Doctors Who Do Late-Term Abortions|Marlow Stern|July 5, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Doug Tiller (the original Morning Glory, Mercury Espresso) is behind the 40-seat tapas lounge.
Hitch Hatched|David Frum|February 7, 2013|DAILY BEAST
He [George Tiller] really put a lot of thought into the way he constructed this building.
In Wichita, the Ground Zero of the Abortion War, a New Clinic Rises|Allison Yarrow|January 25, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Galbreath recalls wearing a shirt with “In memory of George Tiller” written on the back.
In Wichita, the Ground Zero of the Abortion War, a New Clinic Rises|Allison Yarrow|January 25, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Presently he changed places with Sangree, and came down to talk with me by the tiller.
Three More John Silence Stories|Algernon Blackwood
The tiller of the Indian fields lives and dies in his village and has no interests beyond the horizon.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
Isabel made a wild clutch at the tiller ropes, and brought the boat back into the channel.
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton
Lance took his place on the crossbeamto act as weight on either end if such balance was needed; Chet took the tiller.
The Girls of Central High on the Stage|Gertrude W. Morrison
And Harvey, having relinquished the tiller to Joe, stretched himself out at full length on the seat to rest.
The Rival Campers|Ruel Perley Smith

British Dictionary definitions for tiller (1 of 2)

tiller¹

/ (ˈtɪlə) /

noun

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

Derived forms of tiller

tillerless, adjective

Word Origin for tiller

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

British Dictionary definitions for tiller (2 of 2)

tiller²

/ (ˈtɪlə) /

noun

a shoot that arises from the base of the stem in grasses

a less common name for sapling

verb

(intr) (of a plant) to produce tillers

Word Origin for tiller

Old English telgor twig; related to Icelandic tjalga branch

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

tiller

Origin of tiller

Words nearby tiller

Other definitions for tiller (2 of 3)

Origin of tiller

OTHER WORDS FROM tiller

Other definitions for tiller (3 of 3)

Origin of tiller

Words related to tiller

How to use tiller in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tiller (1 of 2)

Derived forms of tiller

Word Origin for tiller

British Dictionary definitions for tiller (2 of 2)

Word Origin for tiller