noun
thresher
THRESH-uh
Thresher (noun) means a farm machine that separates grain from the rest of the plant, now usually part of a combine harvester. Example: “The thresher separated the grain from the straw.”
noun
1
agriculture A farm machine that separates grain from the rest of the plant, now usually part of a combine harvester.
"The thresher separated the grain from the straw."
"Old threshers are displayed at the farm museum."
"Modern combine harvesters have a thresher built in."
2
zoology A large shark with a very long tail, short for thresher shark.
"A thresher was spotted off the coast."
"The thresher used its long tail to strike at fish."
How to use thresher
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA machine for threshing grain, or a type of shark.
When to use it
The farming sense is specialist, and the shark sense is a zoological shortening.
Memory tip
Context tells you whether it means the farm machine or the shark.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
thresher shark
grain thresher
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The _____ separated the grain from the straw.
Etymology
Thresher comes from Middle English threschere, formed from thresh plus the ending -er. The shark is thought to be named because its tail resembles the farming tool.
Synonyms
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thresher shark
thrasher
Rhymes for thresher
See all rhymes for thresher →Frequently asked questions
What is a thresher?
It can be a machine that separates grain from the plant, or a shorter name for the thresher shark.
Why is it called a thresher shark?
The shark's tail is thought to resemble the tool used for threshing.
Is a thresher part of a combine harvester?
Yes. In modern farming the threshing part is built into the combine harvester.
What is the meaning of thresher?
"thresher" (noun) means a farm machine that separates grain from the rest of the plant, now usually part of a combine harvester.
