noun
tester
TEHS-tuh
noun
1
A person whose job is to check that a product or system works correctly.
"She works as a software tester, hunting for bugs before release."
2
A small sample of a product, such as perfume or makeup, that customers can try before buying.
"He sprayed a tester of the new cologne on his wrist."
3
A device used to check whether something is working properly.
"Use a voltage tester before touching any wiring."
4
A canopy suspended over a bed or pulpit.
"The four-poster bed had an ornate tester overhead."
How to Use Tester
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMost commonly, someone or something that checks whether a product works — or a free sample to try before buying.
Common pairings
software tester
perfume tester
voltage tester
Word Forms
testers plural, testers plural, testers plural, Testers plural
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She works as a software _____, hunting for bugs before release.
Etymology
From Old French testre, "a canopy", ultimately from Latin testura. The modern sense of "someone who tests things" is simply "test" plus the agent suffix "-er".